Wing Hearts in Drosophila
Achim Paululat’s lab in Department of Zoology & Developmental Biology, Osnabrück-Germany worked out the first developmental study on Wing Hearts in Drosophila melanogaster.One of key area of research in Achim paululat’s lab is to understand Heart development in fruit fly and Search for genes specifically expressed in Heart led to the transcription factor Hand, which played a vital role in deciphering the developmental pattern of Wing hearts.
Circulatory system ensures that metabolites from fat bodies are supplied to all cells, carries wastes material to excretory organs and also ensures immunity against harmful organisms.Insects have a simple, open circulatory system. The circulatory system consists of a dorsal vessel running across the length of the body and can be divided into posterior Heart and anterior Aorta.The open space of the body is called the hemocoel and hemocoel is filled with hemolymph. Apart from proper Heart insects posses auxiliary pulsatile hearts present at the base of the antennae, legs and wings, which ensures regular hemolymph flow through these narrow appendages.
In Drosophila, the wing hearts consist of two bilateral muscular pumps of unknown origin.Recent work from the lab of Achim paululat show that the wing hearts originate from eight embryonic progenitor cells arising in two pairs in parasegments 4 and 5.
The progenitors cells of wing hearts consists of Even-skipped positive pericardial cells (EPC) ,similar to classical heart however the difference lies in the subsequent loss of expression of NK gene Tinman .This is critical step in the development of wing hearts as gain of expression of Tinman in wing hearts progenitors completely inhibit organ formation resulting in severe wing phenotype and adults flies are unable to fly.This result indicates that wing hearts are necessary for the normal wing morphogenesis and function.
Reference:
The Drosophila wing hearts originate from pericardial cells and are essential for wing maturation.
Tögel M, Pass G, Paululat A.
Dev Biol. 2008 Jun 1;318(1):29-37.
A nice animation has been prepared by Larry Keeley, Professor Emeritus of Entomology,Department of Entomology,Texas A&M University to help students understand better about the complex process of physiological process of insects.His webpage also have some other interesting animations and sure worth visit.
Insect organization : Structure and function – Animation of Larry Keeley
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