Molecular genetics of the development of higher-order brain structures in Drosophila

脑的发育是一个包括神经发生、轴突引导和神经层形成的多过程。虽然果蝇的大脑比人类的大脑简单得多，但它的发育是在一个保守的遗传程序的控制下进行的，这与脊椎动物大脑的发育是一样的。在这项研究中，我们对果蝇高阶脑结构的发育进行了分子遗传学分析，重点研究了蘑菇体和触角叶，这是果蝇突出的神经结构。我们的研究揭示了轴突发育的新的控制机制，包括同源结构域转录因子和细胞内运输调节因子。

The development of brain is a multiple processes consisting of neurogenesis, axon guidance, and the formation of neural layers. Although the Drosophila brain is much simpler than the human brain, its development is under the control of a conserved genetic program that is in common with the development of the vertebrate brain. In this study, we have performed molecular genetic analysis of the development of higher order brain structures, focusing on the mushroom body and the antennal lobe, prominent neural structures in Drosophila. Our study has disclosed novel control mechanisms of axodendritic development that include homeodomain transcription factors and intracellular transport regulators.