Figure 4.

Predicted collagen fiber orientations in a computational model of infarct healing. A Model response to 3 weeks of uniaxial circumferential stretch in longitudinally oriented elliptical infarct; red line indicates infarct border, color indicates collagen density (blue lowest, red highest), and black lines indicate mean local collagen fiber direction. B Model matched measured cryoinfarct distributions well when mechanical cues were included but not when these were turned off; error bars indicate SD. C Model predictions fell within 1 SD of experimental mean regardless of assumed initial matrix alignment, from random to perfectly aligned in the circumferential direction. D Infarct shape had little impact on model predictions in the presence of uniaxial stretch, consistent with experimental results; CE – circumferentially oriented ellipse; LE – longitudinally oriented ellipse; M – circular cryoinfarct.