Protocol for electroretinogram recording of the Drosophila compound eye

Jinglin Wu; Yao Tian; Wei Dong; Junhai Han

doi:10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101286

Protocol for electroretinogram recording of the Drosophila compound eye

STAR Protoc. 2022 Apr 11;3(2):101286. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101286. eCollection 2022 Jun 17.

Authors

Jinglin Wu¹, Yao Tian¹, Wei Dong², Junhai Han¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China.
² Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education and Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China.

Abstract

Drosophila phototransduction is a well-established model for characterizing biological processes, such as calcium signaling. Here, we present a protocol for electroretinogram (ERG) recording, an in-vivo physiological assay extensively used in Drosophila phototransduction research to measure light-evoked field potential responses of photoreceptors and neurons in the lamina neuropil. We describe fly preparation and electrode placement, followed by pretest setup, ERG recording, and data analysis. This protocol enables assessment of photoreceptor performance and visual synaptic transmission between photoreceptors and downstream lamina neurons. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Han et al. (2006), Hu et al. (2012), and Wu et al. (2021).

Keywords: Biophysics; Model Organisms; Neuroscience.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Drosophila* / physiology
Electroretinography*
Neurons
Photoreceptor Cells
Synaptic Transmission