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Teamwork Works

Greater understanding of the genetic control of embryo development

04 June 2020

Teamwork Works

When it comes to building a living organism, teamwork is key. Many different molecules have to work together to make sure that the right parts grow in the right place at the right time. In the case of developing fruit flies (Drosophila), some of these components are pre-packaged in the egg ready to spring into action once it's fertilised. Some of them play a particularly important role in setting up the basic pattern of the embryo, with the head at one end and the tail at the other. These images show Drosophila egg chambers stained with fluorescent dyes that highlight various molecules involved in early embryo development. By figuring out where each molecule appears (green or red) and where they overlap (yellow), researchers can start to understand how they get located in the right place in the egg and tease out how they interact together to make an embryo.

Written by Kat Arney

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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