It is well established that the active properties of nerve and muscle cells are stabilized by
homeostatic signaling systems. In organisms ranging from Drosophila to humans, neurons …

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a specialized synapse that bridges the motor neuron
and the skeletal muscle fiber and is crucial for conversion of electrical impulses originating …

Myasthenia gravis is a paralytic disorder with autoantibodies against acetylcholine receptors
at the neuromuscular junction. A proportion of patients instead has antibodies against …

The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has a long and rich history as an important model
organism for biologists. In particular, study of the fruit fly has been essential to much of our …

In biology, homeostasis refers to how cells maintain appropriate levels of activity. This
concept underlies a balancing act in the nervous system. Synapses require flexibility (ie …

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene and is
characterized by progressive muscle wasting. A number of Duchenne patients also present …

Since its first description in 1990, the dystrophin–glycoprotein complex has emerged as a
critical nexus for human muscular dystrophies arising from defects in a variety of distinct …

Perturbation in the Dystroglycan (Dg)–Dystrophin (Dys) complex results in muscular
dystrophies and brain abnormalities in human. Here we report that Drosophila is an …

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X‐linked myopathy caused by dystrophin
deficiency. Dystrophin is present intracellularly at the sarcolemma, connecting actin to the …

Beyond finding individual genes that are involved in medical disorders, an important
challenge is the integration of sets of disease genes with the complexities of basic biological …