Mechanisms underlying dendritic differentiation in Drosophila

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Neurons are highly polarized cells in which the compartment devoted to collect synaptic or sensory inputs (somato-dendritic compartment) is clearly separated from the output machinery, restricted to the axon. One of the most impressive differences between axon and dendrites is their distinct morphology. While the axon is a simple and long process that reaches its specific targets over a distance, dendrites form sophisticated structures remarkably arborized allowing them to computate input signals in a cell specific manner. We are interested in understanding how the complex and cell-specific dendrite morphology is achieved. To address dendrite formation and morphology by genetic means we will use Drosophila(italics charakters). We have performed a genetic screen and identified a number of mutants that affect dendrite differentiation in the embryonic Peripheral Nervous System (PNS). We now propose to characterize in detail several of those mutants, analyze their effect on dendrite formation and identify their molecular nature. Altogether this analysis will enable the identification of molecular key players of dendritogenesis, and thus provide a better understanding of dendrite differentiation.