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Imaging Cell Shape Change in Living Drosophila Embryos
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Analysis of Cell Shape and Cell Migration of Drosophila Macrophages In Vivo

Marike Rüder1, Benedikt M Nagel1, Sven Bogdan2

  • 1Institut für Physiologie und Pathophysiologie, Abteilung Molekulare Zellphysiologie, Phillips-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|March 12, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Drosophila plasmatocytes, essential immune cells, are studied using advanced microscopy. This research details methods for analyzing their migration in vivo and ex vivo, aiding developmental and immune response studies.

Area of Science:

  • * Developmental Biology
  • * Immunology
  • * Cell Biology

Background:

  • * Macrophage-like plasmatocytes are the primary immune cells in Drosophila.
  • * These cells play crucial roles in development, immunity, and tissue repair.
  • * Drosophila offers a powerful model for studying macrophage behavior due to its genetic tools and imaging capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To detail methodologies for analyzing Drosophila macrophage migration.
  • * To enable ex vivo and in vivo studies of plasmatocyte behavior.
  • * To facilitate research into morphogenesis, immune response, and tissue damage repair.

Main Methods:

  • * Isolation and staining of larval macrophages for ex vivo structured illumination microscopy (SIM).
  • * Preparation of white prepupae for in vivo 2D random cell migration analysis.
  • * Preparation of pupae for in vivo 3D directed cell migration analysis using spinning disk microscopy.

Main Results:

  • * Established protocols for high-resolution imaging of Drosophila macrophages.
  • * Demonstrated techniques for analyzing both random and directed cell migration in vivo.
  • * Provided a framework for investigating plasmatocyte dynamics in various biological contexts.

Conclusions:

  • * Drosophila macrophages are amenable to detailed study using advanced microscopy techniques.
  • * The described methods support in vivo and ex vivo analysis of cell migration.
  • * This work enhances the utility of Drosophila as a model for cell-based biological research.
Keywords:
Cell motilityCell shapeDrosophilaLaser ablationLive cell imagingMacrophagesPlasmatocytesSpinning disk microscopyStructured illumination microscopy (SIM)Wounding

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