Protocols to Study Growth and Metabolism in Drosophila

Methods Mol Biol. 2016:1478:279-290. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6371-3_17.

Abstract

Signaling pathways such as the insulin/insulin-like growth factor pathway concurrently regulate organismal growth and metabolism. Drosophila has become a popular model system for studying both organismal growth and metabolic regulation. Care must be taken, however, when assessing such phenotypes because they are quantitative in nature, and influenced by environment. This chapter first describes how to control animal age and nutrient availability, since growth and metabolism are sensitive to these parameters. It then provides protocols for measuring tissue growth, cell size, and metabolic parameters such as stored lipids and glycogen, and circulating sugars.

Keywords: Glucose; Glycogen; Hemolymph; Protein; Trehalose; Triglycerides; Weight; Wing size.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Animals
  • Biochemistry / methods*
  • Crosses, Genetic
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics*
  • Drosophila Proteins / metabolism
  • Drosophila melanogaster / genetics
  • Drosophila melanogaster / growth & development
  • Drosophila melanogaster / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Glycogen / metabolism
  • Hemolymph / chemistry
  • Hemolymph / metabolism*
  • LIM-Homeodomain Proteins / genetics*
  • LIM-Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism
  • Larva / genetics
  • Larva / growth & development
  • Larva / metabolism
  • Male
  • Metabolic Networks and Pathways / genetics*
  • Organ Size
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Trehalose / metabolism
  • Triglycerides / metabolism
  • Wings, Animal / growth & development
  • Wings, Animal / metabolism*

Substances

  • Drosophila Proteins
  • LIM-Homeodomain Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Triglycerides
  • ap protein, Drosophila
  • Glycogen
  • Trehalose
  • Glucose