Drosophila as a model to study the role of glia in neurodegeneration

Abstract

Neurons and glia interact reciprocally. Glia perform many important functions in the development and proper functioning of the nervous system throughout different stages of life. Neurons also affect the development and function of glia. Neurodegenerative diseases are usually late-onset, progressive, and affect specific parts of the nervous system. Many neurodegenerative disorders have been extensively studied. However, the majority of the studies have focused on the events that occur in neurons. The events that occur in glia, and whether and how glia participate in the pathogenesis of these diseases, have not been as well studied. In this review, we will focus on how the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has been used as a model to study neuron–glia interactions in neurodegenerative disorders. We discuss how glia are affected in these models of human neurodegenerative disorders and how glia contribute to their pathogenesis. These studies have provided important insight into the mechanisms of diverse neurodegenerative disorders, and have suggested possibilities for early diagnosis.

Keywords:

• Drosophila
• glia
• neurodegeneration
• neuron–glia interactions

Acknowledgments

The authors are supported by grants from the National Science Council and Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, Republic of China (NSC 100-2321-B-001-012, NSC 101-2321-B-001-004, NSC 102-2321-B-001-002, MOST 103-2311-B-001-035 -MY3).

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.