Cultivation and Live Imaging of Drosophila Imaginal Discs

Methods Mol Biol. 2016:1478:203-213. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6371-3_11.

Abstract

The ex vivo cultivation and live imaging of wing discs open exciting new research avenues by overcoming the limitations of end-point analysis of fixed tissues. Here we describe how to prepare an optimized wing disc culture medium (WM1) and how to dissect and arrange wing discs for cultivation and live imaging. This protocol enables the study of dynamic phenomena such as cell division and delamination as well as the use of pharmacological compounds and biosensors. Wing discs cultured and imaged as described here, maintain constant levels of proliferation during the first ten hours of culture.

Keywords: Culture medium; Drosophila; Ex vivo; In vitro; Live imaging; Wing disc.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Complex Mixtures / chemistry
  • Culture Media / pharmacology
  • Drosophila melanogaster / drug effects
  • Drosophila melanogaster / growth & development
  • Drosophila melanogaster / metabolism
  • Drosophila melanogaster / ultrastructure
  • Imaginal Discs / drug effects
  • Imaginal Discs / growth & development
  • Imaginal Discs / metabolism
  • Imaginal Discs / ultrastructure*
  • Insulin / pharmacology
  • Larva / drug effects
  • Larva / growth & development
  • Larva / metabolism
  • Larva / ultrastructure
  • Optical Imaging / methods*
  • Tissue Culture Techniques*
  • Wings, Animal / drug effects
  • Wings, Animal / growth & development
  • Wings, Animal / metabolism
  • Wings, Animal / ultrastructure*

Substances

  • Complex Mixtures
  • Culture Media
  • Insulin