Figure 6: A model of serotonergic SE0PG neuron signalling in response to nutrition. | Nature Communications

Figure 6: A model of serotonergic SE0PG neuron signalling in response to nutrition.

From: Serotonergic neurons respond to nutrients and regulate the timing of steroid hormone biosynthesis in Drosophila

Figure 6

(a) On yeast-rich (or regular) food, SE0PG neurons innervate the PG and activate serotonin signalling in the PG. Serotonin signalling accelerates ecdysteroid biosynthesis by upregulating the expressions of ecdysteroidogenic genes in the late third instar stage. This leads to the larva-to-pupa transition (pupariation) at 96–120 hAH. (b) On yeast-poor food, SE0PG neurons barely project to the PG so that serotonin signalling is not activated. In this case, the timing of pupariation is delayed to 120–168 hAH.

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