Evolutionary Game Theory: An innovative Tool for ad-hoc networks modeling applied to stem cells interaction in bio-active scaffolds

Abstract

In the last years Game Theory (GT) has been widely used in wireless technologies to model medium access, power control or resource exchange. In order to have a wider vision of the problem and describe the evolution of such networks, Evolutionary Game Theory (EGT) is currently considered as an important tool. This theory has been applied in biology since the seventies to describe animals' behaviour. We applied the theory to a new field of research and we describe how it could provide very interesting results. Cardiac diseases represent one of the biggest death causes in modern society. Despite their importance, current therapies do not give an efficient solution to the problem. However, stem cells research could represent a future hope for a more efficient solution. In particular, there is currently a great interest in myocardial tissue generation from stem cells cultures in 3D bio-active scaffolds. Those polymeric structures intend to mimic the environment inside the heart where cardiac cells, cardiomyocytes, are generated. Well designed scaffolds along with chemical substances contribute to the differentiation process of the stem cell. How this happens, and how a stem cells population becomes a myocardial tissue? We studied a solution using Evolutionary Game Theory (EGT). We set a very simple model to describe the basic concepts of EGT and present some early results.