Anomalous Diffusion of Extracellular Vesicles in an Extracellular Matrix for Molecular Communication

Abstract

Anomalous diffusion of extracellular vesicles (EVs) occurs because of the natural stiffness and stress relaxation of the extracellular matrix (ECM). This phenomenon has not been considered so far in attempts of computational modeling of the biodistribution of EVs, which is used as a powerful tool in pre-clinical and clinical practice. Here we present a novel model of the anomalous EV diffusion based on a 3-dimensional partial differential equation from the molecular communications theory, and solve it using the Green’s function theorem. We also verify our analytical results using a particle-based simulation (PBS). The model encompasses a source function for the EV release from cells, their degradation through natural half-life, and extracellular binding. Our findings reveal that different anomalous schemes lead to various propagation patterns and can be used for providing insights into designing EV-based drug delivery systems.