Drosophila as a genetic and cellular model for studies on axonal growth

N Sáchez-Soriano; G Tea; P Whitington; A Prokop

Journal article

Drosophila as a genetic and cellular model for studies on axonal growth

N Sáchez-Soriano, G Tea, P Whitington, A Prokop

Neural Development | Published : 2007

DOI: 10.1186/1749-8104-2-9

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Abstract

One of the most fascinating processes during nervous system development is the establishment of Stereotypic neuronal networks. An essential step in this process is the outgrowth and precise navigation (pathfinding) of axons and dendrites towards their synaptic partner cells. This phenomenon was first described more than a century ago and, over the past decades, increasing insights have been gained into the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating neuronal growth and navigation. Progress in this area has been greatly assisted by the use of simple and genetically tractable invertebrate model systems, such as the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. This review is dedicated to as a genetic an..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Paul Whitington Author

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Grants

Awarded by UK Research and Innovation

Funding Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Christoph Ballestrem, Theresia Stradal and Klemens Rottner for constructive criticism, to Esther Stoeckli, Richard Tuxworth and Anna Myat for personal communication of results, and to Janina Seibert, Christoph Rickert and Gerd Technau for contributing images to Figure 5. The work of AP and NS.- S on growth cones is supported by a grant from the Wellcome Trust (077748/Z/05/Z). Work in the laboratory of GT is funded by the Wellcome Trust (075264/B/04/Z) and the MRC (G0401440 and G0500261), and PW is supported by the Australian Research Council (DP0558835) and National Health and Medical Research Council (350426).