“Fitness Fingerprints” Mediate Physiological Culling of Unwanted Neurons in Drosophila

摘要: Summary Background The flower gene has been previously linked to the elimination of slow dividing epithelial cells during development in a process known as "cell competition." During cell competition, different isoforms Flower protein are displayed at membrane and reveal reduced fitness proliferating cells, which therefore recognized, eliminated, replaced by their normally neighbors. This mechanism acts quality" control tissues. Results Here, we use Drosophila eye model study how unwanted neurons culled retina find that is required sufficient for recognition supernumerary postmitotic neurons, contained within incomplete ommatidia units. constitutes first description "Flower Code" functioning selection also report physiological role this quality machinery. Conclusions Our results show general system it may play similar roles creating optimal neural networks higher organisms. Code seems be more monitoring than recognized.