Projects / Programmes
Ontogenetic development of symmetrical posture and a role of sensory neurons
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 1.03.00 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Biology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B350 |
Biomedical sciences |
Development biology, growth (animal), ontogeny, embryology |
Drosophila, symmetry of posture, locomotion, ontogeny, sensory neurons, feedback, laser ablation
Researchers (6)
Organisations (1)
| no. |
Code |
Research organisation |
City |
Registration number |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
0105 |
National Institute of Biology |
Ljubljana |
5055784 |
13,283 |
Abstract
Rhythmic movements (walking, swimming, flight, crawling) are conducted by circuits in the central nervous system that autonomously generate a pattern of rhythmic activity, which in turn directs muscle action. An insight into the functioning of such circuits on the level of individually identified neurons and their interconnections was obtained by investigating simpler invertebrate nervous systems, where an important role of hormones and local neuromodulators as well as sensory feed back information was also revealed. Basic principles are applicable to the vertebrate circuits, where recently, also maturation of locomotor patterns during early ontogenetic development was observed, the exact course of which and the involved processes still remaining to be discovered.
In the proposed study we intend to describe changes in the symmetry of posture of a crawling fruit fly larva (Drosophila melanogaster) from hatching till the end of the first larval instar and parallel the results with described changes in motor patterns in vertebrates. Using a simpler model (insect), would allow us to investigate the influence of single sensory neurons, which are individually identified and recognisable in the living fruit fly larva, on that process. We are going to limit our research to the dorsal bipolar sensory neuron which, due to its specific position and form, most likely exercises a direct influence on motor activity. The fruit fly is an acknowledged model organism that in long term perspective allows exact dissection of the changes in the neural circuit during ontogenetic development, using new molecular and genetic techniques.
