Phase-field modeling of border cell cluster migration in Drosophila

Collective cell migration is a fundamental biological process that drives events such as embryonic development, wound healing, and cancer metastasis. In this study, we develop a biophysically informed phase-field model to investigate the collective migration of the border cell cluster in the Drosophila melanogaster egg chamber. Our model captures key aspects of the egg chamber architecture, including the oocyte, nurse cells, and surrounding epithelium, and incorporates both mechanical forces and biochemical cues that guide cell migration.We introduce the Tangential Interface Migration (TIM) force which captures contact-mediated propulsion generated along interfaces between the border cell cluster and surrounding nurse cells. Our simulations reveal three key features of TIM-driven migration that distinguish it from previous forms of chemotaxis: (1) the explicit nature of border cell-nurse cell overlap to initiate movement (i.e., border cells cannot move without a nurse cell substrate), (2) motion is tangential to border cell-nurse cell interfaces, and (3) persistent migration occurs even in regions where the spatial slope of chemoattractant is decreasing. Additionally, we demonstrate that with or without geometry-mediated alterations in chemoattractant distribution such as at intercellular junctions, we can vary induced migration pauses, independent of mechanical confinement. We capture an experimentally observed transition to dorsal migration at the oocyte with a sustained medio-lateral chemical cue of small amplitude. The results show how spatial constraints and interfacial forces shape collective cell movement and highlight the utility of phase-field models in capturing the interplay between tissue geometry, contact forces, and chemical signaling.