Flybrain

The Drosophila Mushroom Body is a Quadruple Structure
of Clonal Units Each of which Contains
a Virtually Identical Set of Neurones and Glial Cells
   Help     SiteNavigator     Index     Where Am I?     Search     Page Status Contact Us 

Kei Ito 1, Wakae Awano 1, Kazumi Suzuki 2,3 Yasushi Hiromi 4,5 and Daisuke Yamamoto 1,2
1 Yamamoto Behaviour Genes Project, ERATO (Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology), JST (Japan Science and Technology Corporation), at Mitsubishi Kasei Institute of Life Sciences, 194 Machida-shi, Minami-Ooya 11, Tokyo, Japan
Present address: NIBB (National Institute for Basic Biology)
Nishigonaka 38, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8585 Aichi, Japan
2 Mitsubishi Kasei Institute of Life Sciences, 194 Machida-shi, Minami-Ooya 11, Tokyo, Japan
3 Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 183 Fuchu-shi, Saiwai-cho 3-5-8, Tokyo, Japan
4 Princeton University, Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton, NJ 08544-1014, USA
5 Present Address: National Institute of Genetics, 411 Mishima-shi, Yata 1-111, Shizuoka, Japan

Originally published in: Ito et al., 1997, Development 124, 761-771

Abstract

The mushroom body (MB) is an important centre for higher-order sensory integration and learning in insects. To analyse the development and organisation of the MB neuropile in Drosophila, we performed cell lineage analysis in the adult brain with a new technique that combines the flippase (flp) / FRT system and the GAL4 / UAS system (FRT-GAL4 system) (Fig. 2). We showed that the four mushroom body neuroblasts (MBNbs) give birth exclusively to the neurones and glial cells of the MB, and that each of the four MBNb clones contributes to the entire MB structure (Fig. 3). The expression patterns of 19 GAL4 enhancer-trap strains that mark various subsets of MB cells revealed overlapping cell types in all four of the MBNb lineages (Fig. 4 and Fig. 5). Partial ablation of MBNbs using hydroxyurea showed that each of the four neuroblasts autonomously generates the entire repertoire of the known MB substructures (Fig. 6). Thus, we conclude that the MB is a four-fold structure of clonal units each of which contains an essentially identical set of neurones and glial cells (summarised in Fig. 1).

Table of contents

Fig. 1:Summary of the structural organisation of the mushroom body.
(Figs. 1 and 7 of the original paper)
Fig. 2: The mechanism of the FRT-GAL4 clone labelling system.
(Fig. 2 of the original paper)
Fig. 3:Each clone of the four mushroom body neuroblasts (MBNbs) contributes to the entire mushroom body structure.
(Fig. 3 of the original paper)
Fig. 4:19 GAL4 enhancer-trap strains reveal overlapping cell types in all four of the MBNb lineages.
(Fig. 4 of the original paper)
Fig. 5:Spacial relationship between the four fascicles, clusters and glial cells.
(Fig. 5 of the original paper)
Fig. 6:Partial ablation of MBNbs showed that each of the four neuroblasts autonomously generates the entire repertoire of the known MB substructures.
(Fig. 6 of the original paper)

Go to Index | Fig. 1 | Fig. 2 | Fig. 3 | Fig. 4 | Fig. 5 | Fig. 6

Goto Top of Page

Flybrain    Development    Mushroom Body Quadruple Structure

All contents are copyright © 1995-2000 Flybrain or their original publication (as noted).
Copyright and use policy

AB00150

Page last modified: July 25, 2000 by Managers.