Invertebrate Survival Journal (Dec 2004)
Molecular genetics of oogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster
Abstract
Gonadal development requires complex differentiation programs leading to the production offunctional female and male gametes. Upon fertilization, while the male germ cell contributes to thenewly formed zygote only its genetic material, the female germ cell also supplies its cytoplasmiccomponents, including fundamental molecular cues on which early embryonic development will rely.Unravelling the mechanisms employed by animal species for building up their eggs is therefore achallenging task in developmental biology. As demonstrated by the impressive body of data producedin recent years, Drosophila melanogaster is a useful model system for attempting a step by stepdissection of the whole oogenesis process. Remarkable opportunities for comparative analyses are inturn expected to be provided by these studies, since it is becoming evident that conserved themesunderlie oogenesis in all animal species. In this review, we focus on few key differentiation eventsoccurring during egg chamber development in Drosophila, outlining our interest in the mechanismsleading to egg polarity establishment, transfer of information between nuclear and cytoplasmic cellcompartments and germ cell apoptosis.
