Work

A novel technique for visualizing in vivo dynamic neuronal changes during Drosophila development

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: A major limitation in neurobiology is the inability to precisely track in vivo neuronal morphology over time.Tandem dimer Eos (TdEOS), a fluorescent photoconvertible protein under UV light, enables visualization and quantification of morphological changes between timepoints in a single animal.We optimized this using the Drosophila Moonwalker Descending Neuron (MDN), which undergoes morphological changes and is genetically accessible.By expressing TdEOS in MDNs, we demonstrated successful in vivo photoconversion, confocal imaging, and quantification of dendrite morphology changes between two timepoints in the same animal.Ultimately, TdEOS provides a targeted, accessible tool for tracing complex neuronal morphology overtime in vivo.

Source: microPublication biology

DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.002359

Authors: Natalie Rico Carvajal, Chris Q Doe, Kristen M Lee

Institutions: University of Oregon, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Language: English

Topic: Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research

Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Awards: G9000095838, Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center at Indiana University