We would like to thank CSIC for the financial support given to this project, to Mariana Di Dom&#233;nico for her technical assistance with confocal microscopy; to Jos&#233; Leonardo B&#225;ez for his manuscript corrections; to Luciano Correa for his dedication to the creation of the video; to Natalia Rosano for lending her voice for the video and the Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center for providing the stocks used in this study. The Apa1 monoclonal anti-Ptc developed by Isabel Guerrero was obtained from the Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank (DSHB) under the auspices of the NICHD and maintained by The University of Iowa, Department of Biological Sciences, Iowa City, IA 52242.

Day 1
1. Collection and culturing pupae.
<ol>
	<li>Remove 0 h after puparium formation (APF) or prepupae using a wet paintbrush from cultured vials and place them in new vials to almost complete the development period (see 2.1 and 2.2). 
	Note: A healthy population of flies should be maintained using standard culturing protocols. After three or four days in which the eggs are laid, the adults can be removed from vials to allow an optimal development of the individuals. They are maintained at a constant temperature until the third instar larvae initiate pupation. The larval/pupal transition is marked by the formation of the prepupa&#160;considered the 0 h APF. The prepupa is an immobile white larva that has an oblong, round shape with protruding anterior spiracles.</li>
</ol>
Day 2
2. Transfer, dissection and fixation.
<ol>
	<li>Transfer the pupae (2 h before the development time is complete) with a paintbrush, to the microscope slide with double-sided tape adhered to it. Position the pupae to form a row with dorsal sides up and cephalic ends facing the same direction.</li>
	<li>Return the microscope slide to constant temperature and allow the pupae to complete the appropriate developmental time (i.e. 24-30 h APF). 
	Note: The microscope slide with the double-sided tape will be a transitory dissection platform to remove the pupal case (see below). The time lapse on the microscope slide (outside the vial) helps to dry the pupal case making it easily breakable with forceps.</li>
	<li>Remove the operculum from the pupal case using forceps.</li>
	<li>Break the case with forceps (as shown in the video) making a line along the side of the pupa to the caudal end of it. With the appropriate illumination it is possible to detect the internal shape of the pupa making evident a space just above the hinge of the pupal wing. This space serves as a guide to perform the opening without damaging the pupa.</li>
	<li>Remove portions of the case, picking them up by the opened border and carrying them to the opposite side where the double-sided tape will hold them. At the end of the dissection the pupae will be almost &#34;naked&#34;, only a small piece of the case will be covering the posterior tip. 
	Note: The purpose of leaving a small amount of case on the upper caudal end is to ensure a smooth release from the case onto the slide with the double-sided tape. Reasoning behind this action is because if you remove too much of the case you greatly risk damaging the pupa. On the other hand if you remove too little, the pupa will not easily come free of the case.</li>
	<li>Push down (with forceps) the remainder of the case. This movement will raise the anterior end of the pupa, allowing both the head and thorax to stay in a preferential position to adhere and to be transferred in the subsequent step.</li>
	<li>Take a new slide with double-sided tape and invert it on the pupa or pupae row. We recommend performing this approach by observing the movements with the aid of the stereomicroscope to prevent breakage of the pupae.</li>
	<li>Press slightly to make the pupae stick to the tape and gently glide the slide in order to remove the pupae from the rest of the cases. Invert the microscope slide: the pupae will be stuck on the dorsal side at the level of their head / thorax area.</li>
	<li>Cover all the naked pupae with 4% paraformaldehyde and wait 10 min. In our experience, this lapse of time with the fixative helps to change the consistency of the cuticle making it firm, less sticky and easy to handle. 
	Note: To perform the ribonucleic acid (RNA) extraction, substitute paraformaldehyde for phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) made with RNase free water and remove the pupal wings making a cut (with the aid of scissors) near the hinge point of each appendage. Using forceps, transfer the pupal wing to a microcentrifuge tube with 1 mL of guanidinium thiocyanate and phenol reagent. After collecting a total of 50-80 wings, store the microcentrifuge tube at -80 &#176;C until performing the RNA extraction10,11.</li>
	<li>Make a small incision at the hinge region of the wing or near it. Allow the fixative to reach the wing epithelium. Using a pipette (p200) flush fixative over the wing. When flushing replace the contaminated fixate with new. After flushing, keep wing in fixative for 5 min. 
	Note: Although this maneuver helps to clear away the majority of the contaminating tissue, some hemocytes and fat droplets can remain trapped in between the dorsal and ventral epithelial layers of the wing (see Figure 1A).</li>
	<li>Tear with forceps from the cuticle borders (as shown in the video) expanding the hole and enabling the release of the wing epithelium from the cuticle sac. Once the wing tissue is released, leave it in the paraformaldehyde solution to complete 30 min of fixation.</li>
	<li>Transfer the fixed wings to a one 4-welled plastic dish filled with PBST (Triton X-100 0.05%). Store overnight at 4 &#176;C.</li>
</ol>
Day 3
3. Primary antibody incubation.
<ol>
	<li>Permeabilize the tissue incubating the pupal wings in PBST (Triton X-100 0.2%) for 15 min using a rocking platform to facilitate a gentle liquid medium movement. 
	Note: Until mounting&#160;the samples, the steps should be performed using a rocking platform.</li>
	<li>Block the samples using PBSTA (BSA 3%, Triton X-100 0.1%) for 1 h.</li>
	<li>Use the same buffer to dilute the primary antibody (mouse anti-Ptc, 1:100) and incubate the pupal wings overnight at 4 &#176;C.</li>
</ol>
Day 4
4. Secondary antibody incubation.
<ol>
	<li>Wash samples 4 x 10 min each with PBST (Triton X-100 0.05%)</li>
	<li>Incubate with secondary antibody (e.g., anti-mouse conjugated to fluorochrome) diluted to appropriate concentration in PBSTA (BSA 3%, Triton X-100 0.1%) at room temperature in the dark, for 2 h. 
	Note: If it is appropriate, use 4&#39;,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and/or phalloidin to counterstain the tissue. Add these probes with the secondary antibody taking into account the emission wavelength of the fluorochromes to prevent the overlap of signals.</li>
	<li>Wash samples 4 x 10 min each with PBST (Triton X-100 0.05%)</li>
</ol>
5. Mounting
<ol>
	<li>Prepare a sample slide by placing 4 dots of transparent nail polish on the microscope slide as if they were the vertices of a square. They will be the points where the coverslips will rest, helping to avoid crushing the tissue.</li>
	<li>Place 30 &#181;L of mounting media (glycerol/Tris-HCl 80%) in the center of the square of the dots made with nail polish without touching any of the corners (dots). Take a pipette with a yellow cropped tip, load some mounting media and then draw in several pupal wings.</li>
	<li>Transfer pupal wings to the dot of mounting media on the microscope slide. With the aid of a tip, spread the mounting media and sink the pupal wings to prevent them from floating. The morphology of the tissue will be kept if the wings remain flat when the cover glass is placed on. Before placing the cover glass, remove air bubbles.</li>
	<li>Lower the coverslip onto the samples trying to prevent the generation of air bubbles. This movement can be done with the aid of forceps.</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>Serrano, N., O'Farrell, P. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Limb+morphogenesis:+connections+between+patterning+and+growth.">Limb morphogenesis: connections between patterning and growth.</a> Curr Biol. 7 (3), R186-R195 (1997).</li><li>Blair, S. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Compartments+and+appendage+development+in+Drosophila.">Compartments and appendage development in Drosophila.</a> Bioessays. 17 (4), 299-309 (1995).</li><li>Klein, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Wing+disc+development+in+the+fly:+the+early+stages.">Wing disc development in the fly: the early stages.</a> Curr Opin Genet Dev. 11 (4), 470-475 (2001).</li><li>Beira, J. V., Paro, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+legacy+of+Drosophila+imaginal+discs.">The legacy of Drosophila imaginal discs.</a> Chromosoma. 125 (4), 573-592 (2016).</li><li>De Celis, J. F., Diaz-Benjumea, F. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Developmental+basis+for+vein+pattern+variations+in+insect+wings.">Developmental basis for vein pattern variations in insect wings.</a> Int J Dev Biol. 47 (7-8), 653-663 (2003).</li><li>Blair, S. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Wing+vein+patterning+in+Drosophila+and+the+analysis+of+intercellular+signaling.">Wing vein patterning in Drosophila and the analysis of intercellular signaling.</a> Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol. 23, 293-319 (2007).</li><li>Bier, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Drawing+lines+in+the+Drosophila+wing:+initiation+of+wing+vein+development.">Drawing lines in the Drosophila wing: initiation of wing vein development.</a> Curr Opin Genet Dev. 10 (4), 393-398 (2000).</li><li>De Celis, J. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Pattern+formation+in+the+Drosophila+wing:+The+development+of+the+veins.">Pattern formation in the Drosophila wing: The development of the veins.</a> Bioessays. 25 (5), 443-451 (2003).</li><li>Classen, A. K., Aigouy, B., Giangrande, A., Eaton, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Imaging+Drosophila+pupal+wing+morphogenesis.">Imaging Drosophila pupal wing morphogenesis.</a> Methods Mol Biol. 420, 265-275 (2008).</li><li>Bolatto, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Spatial+and+temporal+distribution+of+Patched-related+protein+in+the+Drosophila+embryo.">Spatial and temporal distribution of Patched-related protein in the Drosophila embryo.</a> Gene Expr Patterns. 19 (1-2), 120-128 (2015).</li><li>Zuniga, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Genes+encoding+novel+secreted+and+transmembrane+proteins+are+temporally+and+spatially+regulated+during+Drosophila+melanogaster+embryogenesis.">Genes encoding novel secreted and transmembrane proteins are temporally and spatially regulated during Drosophila melanogaster embryogenesis.</a> BMC Biol. 7, 61 (2009).</li></ol>

The authors have nothing to disclose.

The method of dissection described in this video can be used to prepare high quality samples of Drosophila pupal wings from different development stages for many types of techniques (e.g., immunofluorescence, cDNA synthesis to PCR assays, in vitro wing development). In terms of this method the scientist involved have used 24-30 h APF. However there should be no obstacle within the essential steps in dissection of younger or older pupa. Changes may have to be made to accommodate smaller stage pu...

Drosophila wings are developed from the wing imaginal discs. The primordial of these wing discs are put aside during the embryonic development as small groups of 20-30 imaginal cells that invaginate from the embryonic epithelium. While the larva is growing to the third instar stage, mitosis occurs in the imaginal cells at specific characteristic times raising its numbers (approximately 50000 cells) and forming the wing disc1,2,3,4. As the cells proliferate, they fashion a tubular epithelium, resulting in a self-folding compact spiral. During pupation, the disc epithelium telescopes out to form the two-layered wing and the longitudinal veins start as lacunae between them, which occurs twice during wing developmental5,6.
The arrangement of veins always has an identical pattern;&#160;the ability to easily identify every alteration within the veins formation makes mutations extremely visible (e.g. missing or extra veins, changes in the vein positions, etc.). Interestingly, the phenotype variations are usually the evidence of mutations in known or novel components of signaling pathways that are relevant for wing development. One of the pathways that plays a role in determining the position and maintaining vein and intervein territories is the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway6,7,8.
Given the importance of the pupal wing as a model system, it will be important to obtain good quality samples to work with. In the past, scientists that have published protocols to dissect Drosophila&#160;wings have not given an appropriate guide to attain workable samples. Without the guidance of a researcher one cannot clearly visualize the process. In these alternate dissecting approaches the pupa is split in two, separating the wing from surrounding tissue and repeatedly washed to remove the debris. This kind of approach claims to leave the wing free of contaminates but due to previous experience the process is slower and there is a higher chance of compromising the structure of the fragile wings9.
The procedure described here was developed by the demand to find a fast and efficient method to obtain pupal wing samples suitable to detect specific proteins or transcripts using immunodetection protocols or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. In order to illustrate this, the expression and localization of Patched (Ptc or the canonical receptor of the Hh pathway) is detected in pupal wing samples, providing a protocol that includes relevant details to successfully carry out the complete procedure.

<table><tbody><tr><td>Stereomicroscope with cool light illumination</td><td>Nikon&amp;nbsp;</td><td>SMZ1000</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Rocking platform</td><td>Biometra (WT 16)</td><td>042-500</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Microscope slides</td><td>StarFrost</td><td>8037/1</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Cover glasses (24 x 32 mm)</td><td>Deltalab</td><td>D102432</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Forceps</td><td>F.S.T</td><td>11252-00</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Scissors</td><td>Lawton</td><td>63-1400</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Multi-well plastic dish</td><td>Thermo Scientific</td><td>144444</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>p100 or p200 pipette</td><td>Finnpipette (Labsystems)</td><td>9400130</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1X PBS (Dulbecco)</td><td>Gibco</td><td>21600-010</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>4% paraformaldehyde&amp;nbsp;</td><td>Sigma</td><td>158127</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Triton X-100</td><td>Sigma</td><td>T8787</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>BSA</td><td>Bio Basic INC.</td><td>9048-46-8</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Glycerol</td><td>Mallinckrodt</td><td>5092</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Tris</td><td>Amresco</td><td>497</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>TRIzol Reagent</td><td>Ambion</td><td>15596026</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>DEPC treated water</td><td>MO.BIO</td><td>17011-200</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Alexa Fluor 546 goat anti-mouse IgG (H+L), 2 mg/mL&lt;br/&gt; (working dilution 1/800)</td><td>Invitrogen</td><td>A11030</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Monoclonal anti-Ptc (Apa-1) 54 &amp;mu;g/mL&lt;br/&gt; (working dilution 1/100)</td><td>Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank (DSHB)</td><td></td><td>By Isabel Gerrero from DSHB under the auspices of the NICHD and maintained by The University of Iowa, Department of Biological Sciences, Iowa City, IA 52242.&amp;nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>DAPI, 1 mg/mL&lt;br/&gt; (working dilution 1/5000)</td><td>Invitrogen</td><td>62248</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Phalloidin conjugated to Alexa 488, 300 U/1.5 mL methanol&lt;br/&gt; (1/600 working dilution)</td><td>Invitrogen</td><td>A12379</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Canton S (fly stock)</td><td>Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center&amp;nbsp;</td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

a rapid and efficient method to dissect pupal wings of drosophila suitable for immunodetections or pcr assays

Wing development in Drosophila melanogaster is an ideal model for studying morphogenesis at tissue level. These appendages develop from a group of cells named wing imaginal discs formed during embryonic development. In the larval stages the imaginal discs grow, increasing its number of cells and forming monolayered epithelial&#160;structures. Inside the pupal case, the imaginal discs bud out and fold into bilayers along a line that becomes the future margin of the wing. During this process, the longitudinal primodia veins originate vein cells on the prospective dorsal and ventral surfaces of the wing. During the pupal stage the stripes of vein cells of each surface communicate in order to generate tight tubes; at the same time, the cross-veins begin their formation.
With the help of appropriate molecular markers, it is possible to identify the major elements composing the wing during its development. For this reason, the ability to accurately detect transcripts or proteins in this structure is critical for studying their abundance and localization related to the development process of the wing.
The procedure described here focuses on manipulating pupal wings, providing detailed instructions on how to dissect the wing during the pupal stage. The dissection of pupal tissue is more difficult to perform than their counterparts in third instar larvae. This is why this approach was developed, to obtain rapid and efficient high quality samples. Details of how to immunostain and mount these wing samples, to allow the visualization of proteins or cell components, are provided in the protocol. With little expertise it is possible to collect 8-10 high quality pupal wings in a short amount of time.

The protocol offers a straightforward method for obtaining pupal wing samples that retain the familiar morphology of the wing. From these preparations it is possible to obtain stacks of images that could be projected as 2-D or 3-D, to investigate distribution and/or the enrichment of proteins during the differentiation of the wing. A similar protocol (see the note in 2.9) can be used to collect the large pupal wing sample (involving 50-80 pupal wings) necessary to synthesize complementary...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about A Rapid and Efficient Method to Dissect Pupal Wings of Drosophila Suitable for Immunodetections or PCR Assays at JoVE.com

A Rapid and Efficient Method to Dissect Pupal Wings of Drosophila Suitable for Immunodetections or PCR Assays

The ability to accurately detect transcripts or proteins in Drosophila tissues is critical for studying their abundance and localization related to the development process. Here is the description of a straightforward procedure to dissect pupal wings. These wings can be used as samples in several techniques (immunohistochemistry, PCR assay, etc.).

A Rapid and Efficient Method to Dissect Pupal Wings of Drosophila Suitable for Immunodetections or PCR Assays

Wing development in Drosophila melanogaster is an ideal model for studying morphogenesis at tissue level. These appendages develop from a group of cells ...

a-rapid-efficient-method-to-dissect-pupal-wings-drosophila-suitable

Universidad de Cartagena UDEC

Research

JoVE Journal

Developmental Biology

8.0K Views.  Laboratorio de Biología del Desarrollo. The ability to accurately detect transcripts or proteins in Drosophila tissues is critical for studying their abundance and localization related to the development process. Here is the description of a straightforward procedure to dissect pupal wings. These wings can be used as samples in several techniques (immunohistochemistry, PCR assay, etc.).

Video: A Rapid and Efficient Method to Dissect Pupal Wings of Drosophila Suitable for Immunodetections or PCR Assays

Dissection of Drosophila melanogaster Flight Muscles for Omics Approaches

Drosophila flight muscle is a powerful model to study diverse processes such as transcriptional regulation, alternative splicing, metabolism, and mechanobiology, which all influence muscle development and myofibrillogenesis. Omics data, such as those generated by mass spectrometry or deep sequencing, can provide important mechanistic insights into these biological processes. For such approaches, it is beneficial to analyze tissue-specific samples to increase both selectivity and specificity of the omics fingerprints. Here we present a protocol for dissection of fluorescent-labeled flight muscle from live pupae to generate highly enriched muscle samples for omics applications. We first describe how to dissect flight muscles at early pupal stages (&#60;48 h after puparium formation [APF]), when the muscles are discernable by green fluorescent protein (GFP) labeling. We then describe how to dissect muscles from late pupae (&#62;48 h APF) or adults, when muscles are distinguishable under a dissecting microscope. The accompanying video protocol will make these technically demanding dissections more widely accessible to the muscle and Drosophila research communities. For RNA applications, we assay the quantity and quality of RNA that can be isolated at different time points and with different approaches. We further show that Bruno1 (Bru1) is necessary for a temporal shift in myosin heavy chain (Mhc) splicing, demonstrating that dissected muscles can be used for mRNA-Seq, mass spectrometry, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) applications. This dissection protocol will help promote tissue-specific omics analyses and can be generally applied to study multiple biological aspects of myogenesis.

Dissection of Drosophila melanogaster Flight Muscles for Omics Approaches

Drosophila flight muscle is a powerful model to study transcriptional regulation, alternative splicing, metabolism, and mechanobiology. We present a protocol for dissection of fluorescent-labeled flight muscle from live pupae to generate highly enriched samples ideal for proteomics and deep-sequencing. These samples can offer important mechanistic insights into diverse aspects of muscle development.

Drosophila flight muscle is a powerful model to study diverse processes such as transcriptional regulation, alternative splicing, metabolism, and ...

Genetics

Visualization of Proprioceptors in Drosophila Larvae and Pupae

Proprioception is the ability to sense the motion, or position, of body parts by responding to stimuli arising within the body. In fruitflies and other insects proprioception is provided by specialized sensory organs termed chordotonal organs (ChOs) 2. Like many other organs in Drosophila, ChOs develop twice during the life cycle of the fly. First, the larval ChOs develop during embryogenesis. Then, the adult ChOs start to develop in the larval imaginal discs and continue to differentiate during metamorphosis.
The development of larval ChOs during embryogenesis has been studied extensively 10,11,13,15,16. The centerpiece of each ChO is a sensory unit composed of a neuron and a scolopale cell. The sensory unit is stretched between two types of accessory cells that attach to the cuticle via specialized epidermal attachment cells 1,9,14. When a fly larva moves, the relative displacement of the epidermal attachment cells leads to stretching of the sensory unit and consequent opening of specific transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) channels at the outer segment of the dendrite 8,12. The elicited signal is then transferred to the locomotor central pattern generator circuit in the central nervous system.
Multiple ChOs have been described in the adult fly 7. These are located near the joints of the adult fly appendages (legs, wings and halters) and in the thorax and abdomen. In addition, several hundreds of ChOs collectively form the Johnston's organ in the adult antenna that transduce acoustic to mechanical energy 3,5,17,4.
In contrast to the extensive knowledge about the development of ChOs in embryonic stages, very little is known about the morphology of these organs during larval stages. Moreover, with the exception of femoral ChOs 18 and Johnston's organ, our knowledge about the development and structure of ChOs in the adult fly is very fragmentary.
Here we describe a method for staining and visualizing ChOs in third instar larvae and pupae. This method can be applied together with genetic tools to better characterize the morphology and understand the development of the various ChOs in the fly.

Visualization of Proprioceptors in Drosophila Larvae and Pupae

A method to immunostain and visualize chordotonal organs in larvae and pupae of Drosophila melanogaster is described.

Proprioception is the ability to sense the motion, or position, of body parts by responding to stimuli arising within the body. In fruitflies and other ...

Neuroscience

Dissection and Staining of Drosophila Pupal Ovaries

Unlike adult Drosophila ovaries, pupal ovaries are relatively difficult to access and examine due to their small size, translucence, and encasing within a pupal case. The challenge of dissecting pupal ovaries also lies in their physical location within the pupa: the ovaries are surrounded by fat body cells inside the pupal abdomen, and these fat cells must be removed to allow for proper antibody staining. To overcome these challenges, this protocol utilizes customized Pasteur pipets to extract fat body cells from the pupal abdomen. Moreover, a chambered coverglass is used in place of a microcentrifuge tube during the staining process to improve visibility of the pupae. However, despite these and other advantages of the tools used in this protocol, successful execution of these techniques may still involve several days of practice due to the small size of pupal ovaries. The techniques outlined in this protocol could be applied to time course experiments in which ovaries are analyzed at various stages of pupal development.

Dissection and Staining of Drosophila Pupal Ovaries

The Drosophila ovary is an excellent model system for studying stem cell niche development. Though methods for dissecting larval and adult ovaries have been published, pupal ovary dissections require different techniques that have not been published in detail. Here we outline a protocol for dissecting, staining, and mounting pupal ovaries.

Unlike adult Drosophila ovaries, pupal ovaries are relatively difficult to access and examine due to their small size, translucence, and encasing within a ...

Preparing Developing Peripheral Olfactory Tissue for Molecular and Immunohistochemical Analysis in Drosophila

The olfactory system of Drosophila is a widely used system in developmental neurobiology, systems neuroscience, as well as neurophysiology, behavior, and behavioral evolution. Drosophila olfactory tissues house the olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) that detect volatile chemical cues in addition to hydro- and thermo-sensory neurons. In this protocol, we describe the dissection of developing peripheral olfactory tissue of the adult Drosophila species. We first describe how to stage and age Drosophila larvae, followed by the dissection of the antennal disc from early pupal stages, followed by the dissection of the antennae from mid-pupal stages and adults. We also show methods where preparations can be utilized in molecular techniques, such as the RNA extraction for qRT-PCR, RNAseq, or immunohistochemistry. These methods can also be applied to other Drosophila species after species-specific pupal development times are determined, and respective stages are calculated for appropriate aging.

Preparing Developing Peripheral Olfactory Tissue for Molecular and Immunohistochemical Analysis in Drosophila

Here, we present a protocol to stage and dissect developing olfactory tissue from Drosophila species. The dissected tissue can later be used for molecular analyses, such as quantitative RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction) or RNA sequencing (RNAseq), as well as in vivo analyses such as immunohistochemistry or in situ hybridization.

The olfactory system of Drosophila is a widely used system in developmental neurobiology, systems neuroscience, as well as neurophysiology, behavior, and ...

Dissection of the Drosophila Pupal Retina for Immunohistochemistry, Western Analysis, and RNA Isolation

The Drosophila pupal retina provides an excellent model system for the study of morphogenetic processes during development. In this paper, we present a reliable protocol for the dissection of the delicate Drosophila pupal retina. Our surgical approach utilizes readily-available microdissection tools to open pupae and precisely extract eye-brain complexes. These can be fixed, subjected to immunohistochemistry, and retinas then mounted onto microscope slides and imaged if the goal is to detect cellular or subcellular structures. Alternatively, unfixed retinas can be isolated from brain tissue, lysed in appropriate buffers and utilized for protein gel electrophoresis or mRNA extraction (to assess protein or gene expression, respectively). Significant practice and patience may be required to master the microdissection protocol described, but once mastered, the protocol enables relatively quick isolation of mainly undamaged retinas.

Dissection of the Drosophila Pupal Retina for Immunohistochemistry, Western Analysis, and RNA Isolation

This paper presents a surgical method for dissecting Drosophila pupal retinas along with protocols for the processing of tissue for immunohistochemistry, western analysis, and RNA-extraction.&#160;

The Drosophila pupal retina provides an excellent model system for the study of morphogenetic processes during development. In this paper, we present a ...

Imaging Dpp Release from a Drosophila Wing Disc

The transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-&#946;) superfamily is essential for early embryonic patterning and development of adult structures in multicellular organisms. The TGF-&#946; superfamily includes TGF-&#946;, bone morphogenetic protein (BMPs), Activins, Growth and Differentiation Factors, and Nodals. It has long been known that the amount of ligand exposed to cells is important for its effects. It was thought that long-range concentration gradients set up embryonic pattern. However, recently it has become clear that the timing of exposure to these ligands is also important for their downstream transcriptional consequences. A TGF-&#946; superfamily ligand cannot have a developmental consequence until it is released from the cell in which it was produced. Until recently, it was difficult to determine when these ligands were released from cells. Here we show how to measure the release of a Drosophila BMP called Decapentaplegic (Dpp) from the cells of the wing primordium or wing disc. This method could be modified for other systems or signaling ligands.

Imaging Dpp Release from a Drosophila Wing Disc

The timing of exposure to ligands may impact their developmental consequences. Here we show how to image release of a Drosophila bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) called Dpp from cells of the wing disc.

The transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-&#946;) superfamily is essential for early embryonic patterning and development of adult structures in ...

Drosophila Pupal Abdomen Immunohistochemistry

The Drosophila pupal abdomen is an established model system for the study of epithelial morphogenesis and the development of sexually dimorphic morphologies 1-3. During pupation, which spans approximately 96 hours (at 25 &deg;C), proliferating populations of imaginal cells replace the larval epidermis to generate the adult abdominal segments. These imaginal cells, born during embryogenesis, exist as lateral pairs of histoblast nests in each abdominal segment of the larvae. Four pairs of histoblast nests give rise to the adult dorsal cuticle (anterior and posterior dorsal nests), the ventral cuticle (ventral nests) and the spiracles associated with each segment (spiracle nests) 4. Upon puparation, these diploid cells (distinguishable by size from the larger polyploid larval epidermal cells- LECs) begin a stereotypical process of proliferation, migration and replacement of the LECs. Various molecular and genetic tools can be employed to investigate the contributions of genetic pathways involved in morphogenesis of the adult abdomen. Ultimate adult phenotypes are typically analyzed following dissection of adult abdominal cuticles. However, investigation of the underlying molecular processes requires immunohistochemical analyses of the pupal epithelium, which present unique challenges. Temporally dynamic morphogenesis and the interactions of two distinct epithelial populations (larval and imaginal) generate a fragile tissue prone to excessive cell loss during dissection and subsequent processing. We have developed methods of dissection, fixation, mounting and imaging of the Drosophila pupal abdominem epithelium for immunohistochemical studies that generate consistent high quality samples suitable for confocal or standard fluorescent microscopy.

Drosophila Pupal Abdomen Immunohistochemistry

Antibody staining of the Drosophila pupae can enhance genetic analyses of adult abdominal developmental genetics. We present our protocol for dissection, fixation and antibody staining of staged Drosophila pupal abdomen.

The Drosophila pupal abdomen is an established model system for the study of epithelial morphogenesis and the development of sexually dimorphic ...

Biology

Long-term In Vivo Tracking of Inflammatory Cell Dynamics Within Drosophila Pupae

During the rapid inflammatory response to tissue damage, cells of the innate immune system are quickly recruited to the injury site. Once at the wound, innate immune cells perform a number of essential functions, such as fighting infection, clearing necrotic debris, and stimulating matrix deposition. In order to fully understand the diverse signaling events that regulate this immune response, it is crucial to observe the complex behaviors of (and interactions that occur between) multiple cell lineages in vivo, and in real-time, with the high spatio-temporal resolution. The optical translucency and the genetic tractability of Drosophila embryos have established Drosophila as an invaluable model to live-image and dissect fundamental aspects of inflammatory cell behavior, including mechanisms of developmental dispersal, clearance of apoptotic corpses&#160;and/or microbial pathogens, and recruitment to wounds. However, more recent work has now demonstrated that employing a much later stage in the Drosophila lifecycle &#8211; the Drosophila pupa &#8211; offers a number of distinct advantages, including improved RNAi efficiency, longer imaging periods, and significantly greater immune cell numbers. Here we describe a protocol for imaging wound repair and the associated inflammatory response at the high spatio-temporal resolution in live Drosophila pupae. To follow the dynamics of both re-epithelialization and inflammation, we use a number of specific in vivo fluorescent markers for both the epithelium and innate immune cells. We also demonstrate the effectiveness of photo-convertible fluorophores, such as Kaede, for following the specific immune cell subsets, to track their behavior as they migrate to, and resolve from, the injury site.

Long-term In Vivo Tracking of Inflammatory Cell Dynamics Within Drosophila Pupae

Here we present a protocol for live-imaging wound repair and the associated inflammatory response at high spatio-temporal resolution in vivo. This method utilizes the pupal stage of Drosophila development to enable long-term imaging and tracking of specific cell populations over time and is compatible with efficient RNAi-mediated gene inactivation.

During the rapid inflammatory response to tissue damage, cells of the innate immune system are quickly recruited to the injury site. Once at the wound, ...

Immunology and Infection

Dissecting, Fixing, and Visualizing the Drosophila Pupal Notum

The pupae of Drosophila melanogaster are immobile for several days during metamorphosis, during which they develop a new body with a thin transparent adult integument. Their immobility and transparency make them ideal for in vivo live imaging experiments. Many studies have focused on the dorsal epithelial monolayer of the pupal&#160;notum because of its accessibility and relatively large size. In addition to the studies of epithelial mechanics and development, the notum has been an ideal tissue to study wound healing. After an injury, the entire epithelial repair process can be captured by live imaging over 6-12 h. Despite the popularity of the notum for live imaging, very few published studies have utilized fixed notum samples. Fixation and staining are common approaches for nearly all other Drosophila tissues, taking advantage of the large repertoire of simple cellular stains and antibodies. However, the pupal notum is fragile and prone to curling and distortion after removal from the body, making it challenging to complement live imaging. This protocol offers a straightforward method for fixing and staining the pupal notum, both intact and after laser-wounding. With this technique, the ventral side of the pupa is glued down to a coverslip to immobilize the pupa, and the notum is carefully removed, fixed, and stained. The notum epithelium is mounted on a slide or between two coverslips to facilitate imaging from the tissue&#39;s dorsal or ventral side.

Dissecting, Fixing, and Visualizing the Drosophila Pupal Notum

The present protocol details the preparation and visualization of fixed tissue of the Drosophila pupal notum. It can be used for either intact or wounded tissue, and the original architecture of the tissue is preserved. The procedures for dissecting, fixing, and staining are all described in this article.

The pupae of Drosophila melanogaster are immobile for several days during metamorphosis, during which they develop a new body with a thin transparent ...

Drosophila Larva Imaginal Disc Dissection: A Method to Observe Developing Epithelia

Source: Morimoto, K. and Tamori, Y. <a href="https://jove.unicartagenaproxy.elogim.com/video/55901/" target="_blank">Induction and Diagnosis of Tumors in Drosophila Imaginal Disc Epithelia</a>. J. Vis. Exp. (2017).
When staining Drosophila imaginal discs, often a rough dissection is performed where the discs are exposed but remain attached to the body. Once stained, the discs of interest are isolated and mounted. The example protocol demonstrates a procedure for wing imaginal disc dissection and mounting.

Source: Morimoto, K. and Tamori, Y. Induction and Diagnosis of Tumors in Drosophila Imaginal Disc Epithelia. J. Vis. Exp. (2017).
When staining Drosophila ...

A Rapid and Efficient Method to Dissect Pupal Wings of Drosophila Suitable for Immunodetections or PCR Assays

Summary

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Dissection of the Drosophila Pupal Retina for Immunohistochemistry, Western Analysis, and RNA Isolation

Imaging Dpp Release from a Drosophila Wing Disc

Drosophila Pupal Abdomen Immunohistochemistry

Long-term In Vivo Tracking of Inflammatory Cell Dynamics Within Drosophila Pupae

Dissecting, Fixing, and Visualizing the Drosophila Pupal Notum

Drosophila Larva Imaginal Disc Dissection: A Method to Observe Developing Epithelia