Molecular genetic approaches in small model organisms like Drosophila have helped to
elucidate fundamental principles of neuronal cell biology. Much less is understood about …

The astrocytic glutamate transporters excitatory amino acid transporters 1 and 2 (EAAT1 and
EAAT2) play a key role in nervous system function to maintain extracellular glutamate levels …

Drosophila melanogaster, the fruit fly, has been used to study molecular mechanisms of a
wide range of human diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and various …

Glial cells constitute without any dispute an essential element in providing an efficiently
operating nervous system. Work in many labs over the last decades has demonstrated that …

Astrocytes are critically important for neuronal circuit assembly and function. Mammalian
protoplasmic astrocytes develop a dense ramified meshwork of cellular processes to form …

The efficacy of neuronal function requires a well-balanced extracellular ion homeostasis and
a steady supply with nutrients and metabolites. Therefore, all organisms equipped with a …

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an uncommon neurodegenerative disease caused by
degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons. Several genes, including SOD1, TDP-43 …

Animals are able to move and react in manifold ways to external stimuli. Thus,
environmental stimuli need to be detected, information must be processed, and, finally, an …

Glial cells are an essential component of the nervous system of vertebrates and
invertebrates. In the human brain, glia are as numerous as neurons, yet the importance of …

In the central nervous system (CNS), functional tasks are often allocated to distinct
compartments. This is also evident in the Drosophila CNS where synapses and dendrites …