A goal of modern neuroscience involves understanding how connections in the brain form
and function. Such a knowledge is essential to inform how defects in the exquisite …

Structural synapses are key regulators of information flow in neuronal networks. To
understand the function and formation of neuronal circuits, the development and function of …

The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has been established as a premier experimental
model system for neuroscience research. These organisms are genetically tractable, yet …

Drosophila is one of the most fully described eukaryotic organisms and, as a system, offers
the most advanced genetic and molecular techniques. In particular, Drosophila embryonic …

Synapses are the sites of neuron-to-neuron communication and form the basis of the neural
circuits that underlie all animal cognition and behavior. Chemical synapses are specialized …

In Drosophila, the larval neuromuscular junction is particularly tractable for studying how
synapses develop and function. In contrast to vertebrate central synapses, each presynaptic …

Genetic approaches in flies and worms continue to dissect the intricate molecular machinery
of chemical synapses. Investigations carried out in the last year provide important new …

Highlights•Analysis using acute stimulation reveals that multiple signals are involved in
activity-dependent synapse growth or remodeling in Drosophila.•Addition of new synaptic …

Fly and vertebrate nervous systems share many organizational features, such as layers,
columns and glomeruli, and utilize similar synaptic components, such as ion channels and …

Drosophila is a premier genetic model for the study of both embryonic development and
functional neuroscience. Traditionally, these fields are quite isolated from each other, with …