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Phagocytosis Assay for Apoptotic Cells in Drosophila Embryos
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Phagocytosis Assay for Apoptotic Cells in Drosophila Embryos

Published on: August 3, 2017

Apoptosis and autophagy function cooperatively for the efficacious execution of programmed nurse cell death during

Athanassios D Velentzas1, Ioannis P Nezis, Dimitrios J Stravopodis

  • 1Faculty of Biology, Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens, Greece.

Autophagy
|December 22, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Programmed cell death, including apoptosis and autophagy, occurs in Drosophila virilis ovarian cells. These processes work together to efficiently eliminate degenerated cells during oogenesis.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Programmed cell death is crucial for development and tissue homeostasis.
  • Apoptotic and autophagic cell death are the two primary forms, distinguished by morphology.
  • Oogenesis in Drosophila virilis provides a model to study cell death mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the occurrence and interplay of apoptotic and autophagic cell death in Drosophila virilis ovarian nurse cells.
  • To characterize the morphological and molecular features of these cell death pathways during oogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Morphological analysis of ovarian egg chambers.
  • DNA fragmentation assays.
  • Caspase activity assays and immunostaining.
  • Monodansylcadaverine staining for autophagy.
  • Transmission electron microscopy.
  • Lysosomal protease activity assessment.
  • Cytochrome c conformational analysis.

Main Results:

  • Both apoptotic and autophagic cell death were observed in ovarian nurse cells during mid- and late-oogenesis.
  • Apoptotic features included condensed chromatin and fragmented DNA, with high caspase activation.
  • Autophagic features involved monodansylcadaverine staining and lysosomal protease accumulation.
  • Apoptosis and autophagy coexisted in late oogenesis, involving altered cytochrome c display.
  • Degenerated egg chambers showed characteristics of both cell death types.

Conclusions:

  • Apoptosis and autophagy operate synergistically in Drosophila virilis oogenesis.
  • This synergistic action facilitates efficient elimination of degenerated ovarian nurse cells.
  • The study elucidates the coordinated roles of distinct cell death pathways in development.

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