Predict embryo-scale tissue flow from measured motor activity
In plain words
During early development, sheets of cells flow across the embryo as motor proteins pull on them. A test of understanding is to predict these flows, and the resulting shapes, from the measured pattern of motor activity alone.
Precise statement
For whole-embryo morphogenesis (e.g., Drosophila gastrulation and germ-band extension), formulate a continuum model (thin viscous shell with active stress proportional to measured myosin density) whose velocity field v(x, t) matches light-sheet tissue-flow data with correlation above 0.9 over the full process, including later stages with cell intercalation and tissue folding, using one parameter set. Answer: yes or no, with the model and its quantitative fit.
What would settle it
A fixed-parameter model fit to whole-embryo myosin and flow data across all gastrulation stages, validated on myosin-perturbed mutants.
Status in the literature
A 2018 study (Streichan and co-workers) predicted early Drosophila gastrulation flow from the myosin pattern with a Stokes-flow model; later stages and folding remain open.