Investigating spermatogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster

Rafael S Demarco; Åsmund H Eikenes; Kaisa Haglund; D Leanne Jones

doi:10.1016/j.ymeth.2014.04.020

Investigating spermatogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster

Methods. 2014 Jun 15;68(1):218-27. doi: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2014.04.020. Epub 2014 May 2.

Authors

Rafael S Demarco¹, Åsmund H Eikenes², Kaisa Haglund³, D Leanne Jones⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
² Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, 0379 Montebello, Norway; Centre for Cancer Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, 0379 Montebello, Norway.
³ Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, 0379 Montebello, Norway; Centre for Cancer Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, 0379 Montebello, Norway.
⁴ Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. Electronic address: leannejones@ucla.edu.

Abstract

The process of spermatogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster provides a powerful model system to probe a variety of developmental and cell biological questions, such as the characterization of mechanisms that regulate stem cell behavior, cytokinesis, meiosis, and mitochondrial dynamics. Classical genetic approaches, together with binary expression systems, FRT-mediated recombination, and novel imaging systems to capture single cell behavior, are rapidly expanding our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms regulating all aspects of spermatogenesis. This methods chapter provides a detailed description of the system, a review of key questions that have been addressed or remain unanswered thus far, and an introduction to tools and techniques available to probe each stage of spermatogenesis.

Keywords: Cytokinesis; Drosophila; Germ line; Meiosis; Spermatogenesis; Stem cell.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Cell Differentiation / genetics*
Cell Movement / genetics
Developmental Biology / methods
Drosophila
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
Male
Spermatogenesis / genetics*
Transcription, Genetic*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding