Drosophila as a holistic model for insect pheromone signaling and processing

Abstract

In recent years, research into the chemical ecology of the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has yielded a wealth of information on the neural substrates that detect and process pheromones and control behavior. The studies reveal at the cellular and molecular level how behavioral responses to pheromones are initiated and modulated by social, environmental, and physiological factors. By taking into account both the complexity of the chemical world and the intricacies of the animal's physiological state, the emerging holistic perspective provides insight not only into chemical communication but more generally, how organisms balance internal and external signals when making behavioral decisions.