Modeling embryogenesis

Embryogenesis is a remarkable example of self-organized collective behaviour. We are using CellModeller to study aggregation behaviour in early annual killifish embryogenesis. This is a process which occurs as cells collectively migrate on the surface of a spherical egg. Here each stem cell (blastomere) is modeled as a small sphere constrained between two larger spheres representing the enveloping cell layer (EVL) and the yolk (YSL).

This work is part of the DevMech Anillo project on “Multi-scale mechanics and self-organizing processes in developing systems” .