CNS is one of the most complex system in our body which is at the centre of coordinating various actions in our body. CNS is largely composed of billions of neurons and glial cells, which are generated from limited but specialised cells called neural stem cells (NSCs). These billions of neurons connect to each other to establish trillions of complex neural connections, which innervate to various parts of our body. This complex circuitry, which depends on type and number of neurons generated, is crucial for efficient functioning of the brain and consequently the behaviour of an animal. One of the fundamental questions of neurobiology is to understand how diverse types and number of neurons and glial cells are generated by NSCs in space and time. Any perturbation/deviation in this may lead to various developmental defects (microcephaly), neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson, Schizophrenia, or brain tumours.
Drosophila offers a large number of advantages in comparison to various other model organisms and therefore remains the model system of choice for many scientists throughout the world, primary reasons being the following:
1. The number of genetic tools, methods and resources available in flies greatly outnumber those of the other model organisms.
2. A shorter life cycle of about 10 days compared to vertebrates, which run into months, if not years. This makes it possible to study the role of any gene in a considerably short period of time.
3. Can be cultured easily at a low cost in the laboratory.
4. Approximately 75% of the genes linked to genetic disorders/tumors/cancers are conserved between flies and humans.
5. Have very less genetic redundancy as compared to humans making it easy to assign functional significance to a particular gene.
Copyright: Neuroscience and Cell Biology Lab , CDFD Hyderabad India
Drosophila offers a large number of advantages in comparison to various other model organisms and therefore remains the model system of choice for many scientists throughout the world, primary reasons being the following:
1. The number of genetic tools, methods and resources available in flies greatly outnumber those of the other model organisms.
2. A shorter life cycle of about 10 days compared to vertebrates, which run into months, if not years. This makes it possible to study the role of any gene in a considerably short period of time.
3. Can be cultured easily at a low cost in the laboratory.
4. Approximately 75% of the genes linked to genetic disorders/tumors/cancers are conserved between flies and humans.
5. Have very less genetic redundancy as compared to humans making it easy to assign functional significance to a particular gene.
Copyright: Neuroscience and Cell Biology Lab , CDFD Hyderabad India