Scientists Map Complete Central Nervous System of Adult Male Fruit Fly, Charting 166,700 Neurons
Researchers have crafted an intricate wiring diagram of the central nervous system in an adult male fruit fly, uncovering a staggering 166,700 nerve cells and over 300 million synapses. This groundbreaking work, published on September 3 in three Cell articles and one Current Biology paper, builds on a 2022 study of the female fly brain, which had around 140,000 neurons and 54.5 million synapses. The male fly's map was produced by slicing its tissue, scanning it with an electron microscope, and using AI for 3D reconstruction, which was then fine-tuned by experts. Gerry Rubin from HHMI Janelia noted that this 50-member team project could assist in mapping mouse brains, while Carlos Ribeiro from the Champalimaud Foundation stressed the importance of studying insect taste for agriculture and disease spread. Sebastian Seung from Princeton mentioned that understanding any brain helps us grasp the workings of all brains.
Key facts
- The adult male fruit fly central nervous system map contains 166,700 neurons and more than 300 million synapses.
- The research was published in three Cell studies and one Current Biology study on September 3.
- The 2022 female fruit fly brain map had almost 140,000 neurons and over 54.5 million synapses.
- Only about 5 percent of cell types differ between male and female fly brains, but these differences cause notable behavioral variations.
- A male fly scent causes aggression in other males but initiates courtship in females.
- The taste study identified every taste receptor neuron in the fly's mouth, throat, wings, and legs.
- Gerry Rubin of HHMI Janelia Research Campus said the 50-person team approach could scale to a mouse brain with the same team size.
- Carlos Ribeiro of the Champalimaud Foundation noted that insect taste research impacts health, agriculture, and food security.
Entities
Artists
- Gerry Rubin
- Isabella Beckett
- Carlos Ribeiro
- Sebastian Seung
- Philip Hubbard
- John Timmer
- Pallab Ghosh
- Gwyndaf Hughes
- Ian Sample
- Margherita Bassi
Institutions
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
- Janelia Research Campus
- Cell
- Current Biology
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology
- Champalimaud Foundation
- Princeton University
- BBC News
- Ars Technica
- The Guardian
- Smithsonian Magazine
- BBC Travel
- Discover magazine
- Live Science
- Atlas Obscura
- Hidden Compass
Locations
- England
- Portugal
- United States
- France
- Great Lakes
- Australia
- Bay Area
- Tasmania