Abdominal nerves of Drosophila are ensheathed by four layers, the acellular neural lamella (NL), and three glial cell layers. During metamorphosis, a four-day event, five of the eight pairs of abdominal nerves fuse to form the terminal nerve trunk (TNT) structure. During the first day of metamorphosis, the NL is completely degraded. The aim of this project is to understand the role of NL breakdown in TNT formation and eclosion behavior (emergence of adult animal from the pupal case after metamorphosis). We will attempt to answer this by manipulating NL breakdown during metamorphosis and observing its effect on TNT formation and the motor behavior of eclosion. Significance: We will better understand neural plasticity or nerve remodeling of the abdominal nerves during the normal course of development in fruit flies, which has not been studied in the pupal stage when the change in the peripheral nervous system is more robust to enable adult motor behavior. The research findings can be applied to human developmental diseases and/or injuries related to the nervous system. Such information can ultimately be applied to managing and treating neurological disorders.
Presenter(s): Jackson Riffe, Biology and Premedical Studies Major
Advisor(s): Joyce Fernandes, Department of Biology
Nelchi Prashali, Department of Biology
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