fruit flies
Texas A&M study finds courtship affects gene expression in flies
COLLEGE STATION, Jan. 11, 2011 — Biologists at Texas A&M University have made an important step toward understanding human mating behavior by showing that certain genes become activated in fruit flies when they interact with the opposite sex.
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Penn study sheds light on how the brain shifts between sleep/awake states under anesthesia
(PHILADELPHIA) — Despite the fact that an estimated 25 million patients per year in the U.S. undergo surgeries using general anesthesia, scientists have only been able to hypothesize exactly how anesthetics interact with the central nervous system…
Fruit flies use horizontal landmarks for altitude control, says Caltech research team
PASADENA, Calif. — Flies follow horizontal edges to regulate altitude, says a team of researchers from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). This finding contradicts a previous model, which posited that insects adjust their height…
Fruit fly protein found to aid healing in mamals
Biologists at the University of California, San Diego have determined that a protein essential for the normal embryonic development of fruit flies is also used by mammals to assist in the timely healing of cuts and lacerations. Their discovery, detailed in the June 3 issue of the journal Developmental Cell, provides new insight for scientists into the molecular mechanisms responsible for wound healing in humans and may one day lead to the design of new drugs for individuals whose healing is compromised.
