ABOVE: Photoreceptor cells (red) and cell nuclei (blue) in the retina of a healthy Drosophila melanogaster
CARINA WEIGELT / MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGY OF AGEING

Researchers are probing the role that microRNAs, small noncoding bits of RNA, play in neurodegeneration in Drosophila melanogaster. The scientists genetically modified some flies to lack a particular microRNA called miR-210, which resulted in the degeneration of their photoreceptor cells and the flies going blind. They reported their results January 22 in Life Science Alliance.

C.M. Weigelt et al., “Loss of miR-210 leads to progressive retinal degeneration in Drosophila melanogaster,” Life Science Alliance, doi:10.26508/lsa.201800149, 2019.

Degenerating photoreceptor cells (red) and cell nuclei (blue) in the retina of Drosophila melanogaster
CARINA WEIGELT / MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGY OF AGEING

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