| Abstract: | An analysis of the peristaltic propulsion of a solid spherical bolus enclosed in a contractile membrane is presented. The model is based on in vitro preparations of intestinal segments, and utilizes a simplified representation of the mechanical properties of the muscular coats of the wall. The sequence of deformed configurations of the membrane and the displacement of the bolus are obtained by numerical solution of the model equations. The analysis presented in this paper could be useful for other studies in biomechanics (e.g. uterine contraction and motion of red blood cells in narrow capillaries). |
