Signals That Tell Fly Neurons to Extend or Retract

Abstract

The article presents the synopsis of the study "A Signaling Network for Patterning of Neuronal Connectivity in the Drosophila," by M. Srahna, M. Leyssen, C. M. Choi and L. G. Fradkin. The researchers have genetically manipulated a small cluster of neurons whose axons carve their way through the optic lobe of the fly brain during metamorphosis. They have also proposed that Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) signaling is the engine that drives the growth of the dorsal cluster neuron (DCN) axons.