Boundedness vs. blow-up in a chemotaxis system

We determine the critical blow-up exponent for a Keller-Segel-type chernotaxis model, where the chemotactic sensitivity equals some nonlinear function of the particle density. Assuming some growth conditions for the chemotactic sensitivity function we establish an a priori estimate for the solution of the problem considered and conclude the global existence and boundedness of the solution. Furthermore, we prove the existence of solutions that become unbounded in finite or infinite time in that situation where this a priori estimate fails. (c) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.