Speaker
Description
Multicellular models integrating cell-cell signaling, gene regulation, proliferation and tissue mechanics are needed to unravel the organizational principles of embryo morphogenesis. We(*) here demonstrate, using FAIR and OpenVT principles, how a subcellular element-based blastocyst model can be reproduced in a cellular Potts model (CPM) framework such as Morpheus [1]. The open-source framework Morpheus keeps the model definition strictly separated from the simulation code [2]. It uses the domain-specific language MorpheusML to define multicellular models in a modular manner through a user-friendly GUI [3]. A numerical simulation is then composed by parsing the MorpheusML model definition and automatic scheduling of predefined components in the simulator. These principles enable sharing and maintenance of the blastocyst model through the MorpheusML model repository [4]. Extending the blastocyst model, we analyze how cells dynamically polarize and differentiate in response to signals from their environment and how polarized fluid transport controls amniotic cavity formation in a human embryoid culture experiment.
(*) in collaboration with J. Algorta and L. Edelstein-Keshet (UBC, Canada)
[1] Blastocyst model: https://identifiers.org/morpheus/M9999
[2] Morpheus homepage: https://morpheus.gitlab.io
[3] MorpheusML language: https://doi.org/10.25504/FAIRsharing.78b6a6
[4] Model repository: https://morpheus.gitlab.io/models
