Modelling Filopodia Dynamics for Cell Patterning in Drosophila

Nneka Karen Enumah

Clarkson University

"Modelling Filopodia Dynamics for Cell Patterning in Drosophila"

Repeated patterns such as bristles and hair follicles play an important role in epithelia, which sense the environment. Optimal organization of patterns contributes to normal tissue function and gives organisms a spatial and temporal mapped-out input of their environmental stimuli. Although many local (e.g., cell- cell) signaling mechanisms are understood, some gaps still exist in our understanding of long-distance signaling via cell protrusions such as filopodia and cytoneme. The sensory bristles of the fruit fly Drosophila Melanogaster are a genetically tractable system for studying the formation of repeating patterns and invariably long-range cell signaling via cell protrusions. One critical feature of the sensory bristle spot pattern is the presence of long-range lateral inhibition, a mechanism that relies on forming actin-based cell protrusions – filopodia. We develop a mathematical model to describe filopodia dynamics and their role in determining cell fate during patterning.

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