Name: visualization of larval segmental nerves in 3rd instar drosophila larval preparations
Uploaded: 2010-09-29T17:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Visualization of Larval Segmental Nerves in 3rd Instar Drosophila Larval Preparations at JoVE.com

SG is supported by funds from the State University of New York at Buffalo and from John R. Oishei Foundation.

1. Preparation of Reagents
<ol>
 <li>Prepare 1x Dissection Buffer using 128 mM NaCl, 4mM CaCl2, 4mM MgCl2, 2 mM KCl, 5mM HEPES and 36mM Sucrose. PH the solution to 7.2 and filter sterilize. </li>
	<li>Prepare the fixative using 1:1 dilution of 16% formaldehyde and 1x Dissection Buffer.</li>
	<li>Prepare 1x PBT using 1x Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) at a PH of 7.2 and Triton X-100 in a 1:100 ratio.</li>
	<li>Prepare 5% Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) with 0.01% Na Azide in 1x PBS.</li>
</ol>
<...

<ol>
	<li>Gunawardena, S., Goldstein, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Disruption+of+Axonal+Transport+and+Neuronal+Viability+by+Amyoid+Precursor+Protein+Mutations+in+Drosophila.">Disruption of Axonal Transport and Neuronal Viability by Amyoid Precursor Protein Mutations in Drosophila.</a> Neuron. 32 (2), 389-401 (2001).</li><li>Gunawardena, S., Her, L. S., Brusch, R. G., Laymon, R. A., Niesman, I. R., Gordesky-Gold, B., Sintasath, L., Bonini, N. M., Goldstein, L. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Disruption+of+axonal+transport+by+loss+of+huntingtin+or+expression+of+pathogenic+polyQ+proteins+in+Drosophila.">Disruption of axonal transport by loss of huntingtin or expression of pathogenic polyQ proteins in Drosophila.</a> Neuron. 40 (1), 1-2 (2003).</li><li>Hurd, D. D., Saxton, W. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Kinesin+mutations+cause+motor+neuron+disease+phenotypes+by+disrupting+fast+axonal+transport+in+Drosophila.">Kinesin mutations cause motor neuron disease phenotypes by disrupting fast axonal transport in Drosophila.</a> Genetics. 144 (3), 1075-1085 (1996).</li><li>Zinsmaier, K. E., Eberle, K. K., Buchner, E., Walter, N., Benzer, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Paralysis+and+early+death+in+cysteine+string+protein+mutants+of+Drosophila.">Paralysis and early death in cysteine string protein mutants of Drosophila.</a> Science. 263, 977-980 (1994).</li></ol>

The Drosophila larval segmental nerves are a powerful system to study mechanisms in axonal transport. If the 3rd instar larval dissection is performed correctly, all components of the CNS, PNS, and associated tissue, such as the muscles and NMJs, can be examined within a single larva. We have adapted this protocol from the one published by Hurd and Saxton (1996). This protocol can also be adapted to test other neuronal antibodies, but optimization of antibodies should be done. The primary and secondar...

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<td>Minutien Pins, Stainless Steel</td>
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visualization of larval segmental nerves in 3rd instar drosophila larval preparations

Drosophila melanogaster is emerging as a powerful model system for studying the development and function of the nervous system, particularly because of its convenient genetics and fully sequenced genome. Additionally, the larval nervous system is an ideal model system to study mechanisms of axonal transport as the larval segmental nerves contain bundles of axons with their cell bodies located within the brain and their nerve terminals ending along the length of the body. Here we describe the procedure for visualization of synaptic vesicle proteins within larval segmental nerves. If done correctly, all components of the nervous system, along with associated tissues such as muscles and NMJs, remain intact, undamaged, and ready to be visualized. 3rd instar larvae carrying various mutations are dissected, fixed, incubated with synaptic vesicle antibodies, visualized and compared to wild type larvae. This procedure can be adapted for several different synaptic or neuronal antibodies and changes in the distribution of a variety of proteins can be easily observed within larval segmental nerves.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Visualization of Larval Segmental Nerves in 3rd Instar Drosophila Larval Preparations at JoVE.com

Visualization of Larval Segmental Nerves in 3rd Instar Drosophila Larval Preparations

Drosophila melanogaster larvae provide an ideal model system to investigate the mechanisms of axonal transport within larval segmental nerves. Using this procedure, 3rd instar larvae carrying various mutations can be compared to wild type larvae.

Visualization of Larval Segmental Nerves in 3rd Instar Drosophila Larval Preparations

Drosophila melanogaster is emerging as a powerful model system for studying the development and function of the nervous system, particularly because of ...

Research

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