Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Visual System01:26

Visual System

1.6K
Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
1.6K
Electrical Synapses01:28

Electrical Synapses

10.1K
Electrical synapses found in all nervous systems play important and unique roles. In these synapses, the presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes are very close together (3.5 nm) and are actually physically connected by channel proteins forming gap junctions.
Gap junctions allow the current to pass directly from one cell to the next. In contrast, in the chemical synapse, the neurotransmitters carry the information through the synaptic cleft from one neuron to the next. They consist of two...
10.1K
Vision01:24

Vision

59.2K
Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
59.2K
Synaptic Signaling01:09

Synaptic Signaling

6.5K
Neurons communicate at synapses, or junctions, to excite or inhibit the activity of other neurons or target cells, such as muscles. Synapses may be chemical or electrical.
Most synapses are chemical, meaning an electrical impulse or action potential spurs the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. The neuron sending the signal is called the presynaptic neuron, and the neuron receiving the signal is the postsynaptic neuron.
The presynaptic neuron fires an action potential that...
6.5K
Synaptic Signaling01:12

Synaptic Signaling

79.1K
Neurons communicate at synapses, or junctions, to excite or inhibit the activity of other neurons or target cells, such as muscles. Synapses may be chemical or electrical.
79.1K
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

8.7K
At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category,...
8.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Odor tracking in flying <i>Drosophila</i> requires visual reafference and compass neurons.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Organization and evolution of sex-biased gene expression in <i>Drosophila</i> adult sexual circuits.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Cellular and functional dissection of the octopaminergic system in the <i>Drosophila</i> brain.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Guanidino compounds with native GABA(A) δ receptor selectivity: a tale of homeostatic compensation in δ-KO mice.

BMC neuroscience·2025
Same author

Serotonin selectively modulates visual responses of object motion detectors in <i>Drosophila</i>.

Journal of neurophysiology·2025
Same author

Four neurons pattern brain-wide developmental activity through neuropeptide signaling.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same journal

A human-specific genetic modifier reconfigures large-scale cortical network dynamics underlying behavioral performance.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same journal

<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> uses a eukaryotic-like uridyltransferase to make UDP-GlcNAc for cell wall synthesis.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same journal

Dynamic redistribution of eIF4F controls cap-dependent translation initiation.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same journal

When does additional information improve accuracy of RNA secondary structure prediction?

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same journal

Normative brain-state trajectories reveal deviation from healthy aging in Alzheimer's disease.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same journal

Noradrenergic infraslow rhythm during sleep is the critical link between heart-rate dynamics and memory consolidation.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 10, 2026

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision
05:07

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

Published on: June 13, 2019

12.1K

Electrical synapses mediate visual approach behavior.

Giovanni Frighetto, Mark Dombrovski, Lesly Maria Palacios Castillo

    Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
    |November 24, 2025
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Fruit flies use specific neurons (LC17) and electrical synapses to track objects during flight. This research reveals neural mechanisms for visual approach and action selection.

    More Related Videos

    A Magnetic Tether System to Investigate Visual and Olfactory Mediated Flight Control in Drosophila
    09:27

    A Magnetic Tether System to Investigate Visual and Olfactory Mediated Flight Control in Drosophila

    Published on: November 21, 2008

    11.7K
    Integrating Visual Psychophysical Assays within a Y-Maze to Isolate the Role that Visual Features Play in Navigational Decisions
    07:09

    Integrating Visual Psychophysical Assays within a Y-Maze to Isolate the Role that Visual Features Play in Navigational Decisions

    Published on: May 2, 2019

    6.5K

    Related Experiment Videos

    Last Updated: Jan 10, 2026

    Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision
    05:07

    Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

    Published on: June 13, 2019

    12.1K
    A Magnetic Tether System to Investigate Visual and Olfactory Mediated Flight Control in Drosophila
    09:27

    A Magnetic Tether System to Investigate Visual and Olfactory Mediated Flight Control in Drosophila

    Published on: November 21, 2008

    11.7K
    Integrating Visual Psychophysical Assays within a Y-Maze to Isolate the Role that Visual Features Play in Navigational Decisions
    07:09

    Integrating Visual Psychophysical Assays within a Y-Maze to Isolate the Role that Visual Features Play in Navigational Decisions

    Published on: May 2, 2019

    6.5K

    Area of Science:

    • Neuroscience
    • Animal Behavior
    • Sensory Systems

    Background:

    • Detecting salient visual objects and orienting toward them are crucial for animals but poorly understood at the neural circuit level.
    • The fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) serves as an excellent model for studying visual processing due to its complete neural wiring, established behavioral assays, and genetic resources.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the neural mechanisms downstream of T3 visual neurons involved in orienting toward visual objects during flight.
    • To identify and characterize the role of specific projection neurons and synaptic mechanisms in visual approach behavior.

    Main Methods:

    • Utilized in vivo optical physiology to monitor neural activity in fruit flies.
    • Employed virtual reality (VR) behavior assays to assess object tracking during flight.
    • Performed genetic perturbations to investigate the role of specific neurons and electrical synapses.

    Main Results:

    • Identified LC17 visual projection neurons as key postsynaptic targets of T3 neurons, receiving excitatory input and projecting to premotor areas.
    • Demonstrated that LC17 neurons are essential for object tracking during flight in fruit flies.
    • Confirmed that electrical synapses within LC17 neurons, involving the innexin Shaking B (shakB), are critical for successful tracking behavior.

    Conclusions:

    • LC17 neurons play a vital role in mediating visual approach behavior by processing information from T3 neurons.
    • Electrical synapses, in conjunction with chemical neurotransmission, are crucial for rapid object detection and action selection in the visual system.
    • This study elucidates key neural circuit mechanisms underlying visual object tracking and approach in insects.