Stability and Hopf Bifurcation for a Cell Population Model with State-Dependent Delay

We propose a mathematical model describing the dynamics of a hematopoietic stem cell population. The method of characteristics reduces the age-structured model to a system of differential equations with a state-dependent delay. A detailed stability analysis is performed. A sufficient condition for the global asymptotic stability of the trivial steady state is obtained using a Lyapunov–Razumikhin function. A unique positive steady state is shown to appear through a transcritical bifurcation of the trivial steady state. The analysis of the positive steady state behavior, through the study of a first order exponential polynomial characteristic equation, concludes the existence of a Hopf bifurcation and gives criteria for stability switches. A numerical analysis confirms the results and stresses the role of each parameter involved in the system on the stability of the positive steady state.