Drosophila melanogaster: How and Why It Became a Model Organism

Drosophila melanogaster is one of the most known and used organisms worldwide, not just to study general biology problems but above all for modeling complex human diseases. During the decades, it has become a central tool to understand the genetics of human disease, how mutations alter the behavior and health of cells, tissues, and organs, and more recently to test new compounds with a potential therapeutic use. But how did this small insect become so crucial in genetics? And how is it currently used in the study of human conditions affecting millions of people? In this review, we retrace the historical origins of its adoption in genetics laboratories and list all the advantages it provides to scientific research, both for its daily usage and for the fine tuning of gene regulation through genetic engineering approaches. We also provide some examples of how it is used to study human diseases such as cancer, neurological and infectious diseases, and its importance in drug discovery and testing.