Scaling of Ring Canals in Large and Small D. melanogaster Eggs

Indianapolis, IN

Intercellular bridges are a conserved structure found in the developing gametes of many organisms; therefore, learning more about their structure in a simple model organism could provide insight into their role in formation of sperm and eggs in humans. In the fruit fly, eggs develop from multicellular structures called egg chambers. Proper development depends on resources from nurse cells, which are transported through intercellular bridges called ring canals. This study examines how ring canal size varies in 10 Drosophila melanogaster lines that have been selectively bred to produce eggs of different sizes (5 large egg, 5 small egg lines). The data suggests that the diameter of the ring canal does not scale in conjunction with the size of the eggs produced.