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Electrophysiological Method for Recording Intracellular Voltage Responses of Drosophila Photoreceptors and Interneurons to Light Stimuli In Vivo
Published on: June 19, 2016
Delta/Notch and Boss/Sevenless signals act combinatorially to specify the Drosophila R7 photoreceptor
1Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032, USA. tomlinson@cuccfa.ccc.columbia.edu
Molecular Cell
|July 21, 2001
Summary
The R7 photoreceptor
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Cell signaling
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The R7 photoreceptor in Drosophila is crucial for visual processing.
- Its specification was thought to involve two signals, but one remained unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the elusive R1/6-to-R7 signaling pathway.
- To elucidate the complete signaling cascade for R7 photoreceptor specification.
Main Methods:
- Investigated cell-cell signaling in Drosophila eye development.
- Utilized genetic analysis and molecular biology techniques.
Main Results:
- Identified Delta (Dl) as the R1/6-to-R7 signal.
- Demonstrated that Dl activates Notch (N) in R7 cells.
- Showed Dl/N signaling works with Boss/Sev signaling.
Conclusions:
- Delta/Notch signaling is essential for R7 photoreceptor specification.
- This pathway, combined with Boss/Sev, fully explains R7 fate determination.
