Once the cluster detaches from the anterior end of the ovariole, a gradient of chemokines, PDGF and VEGF (PVF1) aids in the directional migration of border cells towards the oocyte.
[4] These cells migrate as a free group by means of transient cell-cell adhesions, further initiating signaling cascades that regulate expression of cytoskeletal components and triggers cellular extensions enabling forward movement.
[5][6] The directional and collective migration of border cells aids in the formation of micropyle, a specialised passage through which the sperm enters during fertilisation.
The border cells of the Drosophila ovary are a genetically tractable system for studying diverse aspects of migrating phenotype.
After identifying the genes that are important for this phenotype, their homologs can be investigated for putative roles in turning non-invasive cancerous tumors into metastatic ones.