Development and Morphogenesis in Drosophila news

<p>A tube-cell image. In red, the tube. in blue, the cell nuclei. in green, cell shape. (electron microscopy). © IRB Barcelona. J. Casanova</p>

A study reveals how respiratory tubes and capillaries form

8 Feb 2010

Scientists at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and CSIC report on the formation of the small-diameter respiratory tubes of the fly Drosophila, a process that resembles the development of the finest blood vessels, the capillaries, in mammals.

Scientists and the knowledge economy

12 Nov 2009

A 1-h programme about biomedical science in Catalonia, with a special emphasis on Barcelona. The programme involves scientists from three leading centres in Catalonia, among these the director of IRB Barcelona, Joan J. Guinovart, and researchers in Jordi Casanova’s lab.

<p>Two wings of Drosophila. While the smaller corresponds to the wild type version (non modified), the bigger one corresponds to a wing in which the Wingless pathway is hyperactivated.</p>

New data shed light on Drosophila wing development

6 Oct 2009

The study provides further insight into how cells divide to form the wing during the embryonic development of the fly Drosophila.

The fly, a model for medicine

14 Sep 2009

In a report entitled “Una mosca model per a la medicina” (The fly, a model for medicine), the programme “El Medi Ambient” (The environment) explains why Drosophila melanogaster, commonly known as the fruit fly or vinegar fly, is a useful tool for advancing our knowledge of human diseases such as cancer. The IRB Barcelona researchers, Jordi Casanova and Cayetano González, take part in the report.

<p>A section of a Drosophila embryo with somatic cells (red) and germinal cells (green). The left image shows a healthy context while the right shows cells affected by failure of the protection mechanism. Image: Jordi Casanova, IRB Barcelona</p>

Protecting cells from their neighbours

3 Aug 2009

An IRB Barcelona research team discovers the mechanism that favours the correct separation of germ cells –future ovules and sperm-, from the rest of the cells during embryonic development.

<p>Sketch by researcher Enrico Coen of the IEC courtyard where the Barcelona BioMed Conferences are held. © E. Coen</p>

Meeting Report: Shaping Embryos in Barcelona

8 Jan 2009

A three-page report of the most recent IRB Barcelona BioMed Conference Morphogenesis and Cell Behaviour, appeares in the latest issue of Nature Cell Biology 11, 3 - 6 (2009). The 150 participants of the meeting, which was held from from October 6-8 at the Institut d’Estudis Catalans (IEC), discussed the generation of form during animal and plant embryogenesis. The meeting highlighted the impact of new microscopy methods and modeling approaches on the most recent advances...

Deciphering the mysteries of living beings

8 Nov 2008

Scientific dissemination article about developmental biology and morphogenesis written by researchers Jordi Casanova and Marco Milán and published in "EL PAIS".