From Seeing to Simulating: A Survey of Imaging Techniques and Spatially-Resolved Data for Developing Multiscale Computational Models of Liver Regeneration

Liver regeneration, which leads to the re-establishment of organ mass, follows a specifically organized set of biological processes acting on various time and length scales. Computational models of liver regeneration largely focused on incorporating molecular and signaling detail have been developed by multiple research groups in the recent years. These modeling efforts have supported a synthesis of disparate experimental results at the molecular scale. Incorporation of tissue and organ scale data using noninvasive imaging methods can extend these computational models towards a comprehensive accounting of multiscale dynamics of liver regeneration. For instance, microscopy-based imaging methods provide detailed histological information at the tissue and cellular scales. Noninvasive imaging methods such as ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging provide morphological and physiological features including volumetric measures over time. In this review, we discuss multiple imaging modalities capable of informing computational models of liver regeneration at the organ-, tissue- and cellular level. Additionally, we discuss available software and algorithms, which aid in the analysis and integration of imaging data into computational models. Such models can be generated or tuned for an individual patient with liver disease. Progress towards integrated multiscale models of liver regeneration can aid in prognostic tool development for treating liver disease.