A 3D finite element model of ventral furrow invagination in the Drosophila melanogaster embryo

Author (s): Vito, C., Muñoz, J.J., Miodownik M.
Journal: Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials

Volume: 1, Issue 2
Pages: 188 – 198
Date: 2008

Abstract:
Ventral furrow formation is the first large-scale movement in the Drosophila cellular
blastoderm which involves the co-ordinated shape change of cells, and as such
is an ideal system to use as a proof of principle for simulation methods to study
the mechanics of morphogenesis. We have developed a 3D finite element method
model of ventral furrow formation by decomposing the total deformation into two
parts: an imposed active deformation, and an elastic passive deformation superimposed
onto the latter. The model imposes as boundary conditions (i) a constant
yolk volume and (ii) a sliding contact condition of the cells against the vitelline
membrane, which is interpolated as B-Spline surface. The active deformation simulates
the effects of apical constriction and apico-basal elongation of cells. This set
of local cellular mechanisms leads to global shape changes of the embryo which are
associated with known gene expressions. Using the model we have tested different
plausible mechanical hypotheses postulated to account for the observed invagination
process. In particular, we conclude that only certain combinations of local cell shape
change can successfully reproduce the invagination process. We have quantitatively
compared the model with a 2D model and shown that it exhibits a more robust
invagination phenomenon. The 3D model has also revealed that invagination causes
a yolk flow from the central region to the anterior and posterior ends of the embryo,
causing an accordion-like global compression and expansion wave to move through
the embryo. Such phenomenon cannot be described by 2D models.

Journal paper (from the publisher)  
UPCommons page Link  

Bibtex:

@article{Conte2008188,
author = "Conte, V.; Muñoz, J.J.  and Miodownik, M.“,
title = "A 3D finite element model of ventral furrow invagination in the Drosophila melanogaster embryo ",
journal = "Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials ",
volume = "1",
number = "2",
pages = "188 - 198",
year = "2008",
issn = "1751-6161",
doi = "http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmbbm.2007.10.002",
url = "http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S175161610700032X",
}