Fruit fly study sheds light on brain development and diseases
November 13th, 2010 - 3:02 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Nov 13 (ANI): Scientists have identified a new genetic marker that makes fruit fly a better model for brain development and diseases.
The human brain is composed of 100 billion individual nerve cells which communicate with each other via a complex network of connections. Errors in communications of these cells are often at the basis of brain and nerve diseases such as Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis.
In the search for possible solutions to these diseases, one important aspect is to understand how the connections between nerve cells develop.
The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is an important, low-cost model organism with 60 percent genetic similarity with humans.
The fruit fly plays a significant role in clarifying various neurological processes such as the way our memory works and our sense of smell and in studying particular neurodegenerative diseases.
The team headed by Bassem Hassan uses the fruit fly as a model to study brain development.
Though Drosophila has long been used to study the connections between nerve cells, one specific marker was still missing.
To understand the whole circuit between nerve cells, markers are needed for the different compartments of nerve cells (presynaptic or output cells and postsynaptic or input cells).
Under the direction of Bassem Hassan and in collaboration with Wim Annaert, Laura Nicolai, Ariane Ramaekers and their colleagues have identified the missing marker, DenMark (Dendritic Marker), a hybrid of a mouse protein and a fluorescent protein.
The high specificity of such a marker for the input compartment of the nerve cells in Drosophila gives rise to hope that it can also be used in other model organisms.
Nerve cells communicate via a synapse. A synapse is a space in the connection between nerve cells, more specifically the space between the presynaptic membrane (of an axon) and the postsynaptic membrane (of a dendrite). Axons conduct away from the cell, dendrites (usually) to it. The “message is transmitted” via the synapse by neurotransmitters. (ANI)
- Protein key to storing long-term memories - Jan 29, 2012
- Fruit fly neuron can rebuild itself following injury - Dec 07, 2009
- Stem cell implants can heal traumatic brain injury - Jan 16, 2012
- Fruit fly nerve cells rebuild themselves after injury - Dec 07, 2009
- Two genes key to wiring brain's nerve cells - Feb 14, 2011
- Lack of sleep during adolescence skews brain wiring - Oct 10, 2011
- Misfolding neural proteins linked with autism - Sep 13, 2010
- How oestrogen can make you smarter - Nov 18, 2010
- Technique 'poised to untangle brain's complexity' developed - Apr 11, 2011
- Key protein that allows nerve cells to repair themselves discovered - Dec 10, 2010
- Found! Cells that drive brain's adaptability - Jan 02, 2012
- New find: brain tumours in fruit fly mimic genetic program of germline cells - Dec 25, 2010
- Scientists capture first image of memory formation - Jun 19, 2009
- Elusive memory molecule identified - Jun 27, 2011
- Scientists discover new target for multiple sclerosis - Oct 26, 2010
Tags: bassem, brain development, complex network, dendrite, fruit fly study, genetic marker, genetic similarity, human brain, input cells, memory works, model organism, model organisms, nerve cells, nerve diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, neurological processes, output cells, postsynaptic membrane, presynaptic membrane, ramaekers