Dynamics of vascular branching morphogenesis

Vascularization of embryonic organs or tumours starts from a primitive lattice of capillaries that, in the first stages of development, are remodelled into branched arteries and veins upon perfusion. In this Master Thesis we investigate a theoretical model of vascular development that reproduces the main results in two and three dimensional patterns generated in the yolk sac based on the main characteristic features of vascular morphogenesis: i) the disconnection of side branches from main branches; ii) the reconnection of dangling sprouts and, iii) the plastic extension of the interstitial tissues. The (fluid) mechanical forces that are known to play a major role in arterial patterning are implemented numerically, and they predict the appearance of realistic patterns.