Genetic Analysis of Tissue Remodeling and Lipid Storage in Drosophila melanogaster
Date
2020-07-06
Authors
Cheng, Gracia (Xinran) Jr
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Abstract
Tissue remodeling has been used as a model to study cancer. It is also
an important process during the development of Drosophila melanogaster.
During D. melanogaster metamorphosis, which is the transition from the
larva stage to the adult stage, larval fat body remodeling occurs. The
larval fat body changes from a single-cell layered sheet of connected cells
to individual sphere-like motile cells that supply energy to the organism.
Failed or abnormal fat body remodeling can result in death during the
pupal stage.
In my research, I examined the abnormal larval fat body remodeling
phenotype in three D. melanogaster mutant lines. All three lines were
incompletely penetrant for the abnormal larval fat body remodeling phenotype.
I also observed possible developmental delay in mutant lines during the head
eversion process. In addition, I noticed that there are two types of remodeled
larval fat bodies - whitish fat bodies and clear fat bodies in both wild type and
in the mutant lines. I stained remodeled larval fat bodies to detect lipid
droplets and nuclei under fluorescence. Further research should continue on
staining of identified whitish and clear fat bodies to visualize lipid storage,
which might give insights into the regulation of nutrient during
metamorphosis.
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Keywords
Drosophila melanogaster