Embryonic Structures Commons^™

Dreadlocks (Dock) Is Necessary To Regulate Growth Of The Germline Ring Canals In The Developing Drosophila Melanogaster Egg Chamber, Olivia Crowe

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Infertility is a prevalent issue in the United States, impacting 1.5 million women (1). A possible cause of infertility is defects in gametogenesis, or the formation of sperm and egg. Therefore, understanding the basic mechanisms that promote normal gamete formation could impact our understanding of infertility. The Drosophila melanogaster egg develops from an organ-like structure called an egg chamber. The egg chamber is composed of a central cluster of 16 germ cells that are connected to one another by intercellular bridges, called ring canals. These ring canals are composed of filamentous actin and allow the transfer of materials from supporting …