Computational Insights into Zebrafish Brain Development during Gastrulation

Computer simulations are advancing to become the third pillar of science besides theory and experiment. In this work, I want to showcase two interdisciplinary projects in which computer simulations greatly enhanced the understanding of novel experimental results. Both of these works cover events during the early developmental stages of zebrafish Danio rerio, (Hamilton, 1822) and elucidate the early stages of brain development. The first work clarifies whether or not a novel short-range transport method via specialized filopodia is able to form the necessary long-range gradient for the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain differentiation. The second work employs a cellular Potts model to clarify if a single strongly adhesive progenitor cell group is able to shape the early notochord.