Intermittent Fasting, Microbiota Dynamics and Aging
Final Report Abstract
The proper brain function requires a precise neuronal circuit assembly during development and maintenance during aging. To follow neuronal structure development and preservation during aging the ellipsoid body (EB) has been studied. This compartment is part of the Drosophila central brain, it is generated by the DALv2 lineage and is involved in visuospatial patterning. Single cell clones of outer and inner ring neurons of the ellipsoid body could be generated at different time points during pupal development and aging. They allowed us to document neuronal projection and compartment formation during pupal stages and to observe changes occurring in neuronal structure of old flies (d60). During pupal development from P12- P40 filopodia lengthen and axonal branches form to fully create the ellipsoid body ring at around P48. Afterwards, entering the second half of the pupal period (P48) the final configuration of ring neurons take shape. Filopodia are withdrawn, and synaptic boutons appear, along with the expression of presynaptic proteins (Nc82). Clones of older flies (d60) show more branching especially in the bulb region compared to young flies (d4). This phenomenon has been observed by others. Generation of more single cell clones and high resolution imaging should give us more information about the neuro-structural changes during aging. In further experiments simultaneous expression of inner and outer ring neurons in one line (two color line) during development should answer the question of timing and position. Furthermore, GRASP experiments will give us information about changes in synapse vicinity during aging. This exciting project will hopefully give us some answers about neuronal origins of cognitive decline during healthy aging.
