Cell-Based Models of Tumor Angiogenesis

Cells are a natural unit of abstraction for tissue morphogenesis. Cell-based theoretical models provide a platform for determining key elements of cell behavior responsible for multicellular and tissue-level phenomena, and for integrating molecular and tissue/organ scales. This chapter reviews a limited selection of recent developments in cell-based modeling approaches to angiogenesis. We offer an introduction to building a cell-based model with an emphasis on model validation, and illustrate this model building process in tumor angiogenesis using the cellular Potts model.