Mucolipidosis type IV (MLIV) is a severe childhood onset neurodegenerative disease which causes profound psychomotor retardation in young children. In the Venkatachalam lab, we are using a fly model for the human disease (Venkatachalam et al, 2008). This movie shows that similar to human patients, the mutant larvae (trpml larvae) also show locomotor dysfunction. Note that while control larvae crawl out of the field rapidly, the mutant appear sluggish and uncoordinated. In fact, the last mutant larva had to be prodded before it started moving! 

Serotonin (5-HT) modulates the weight of Drosophila after cessation of feeding during pupation by modulating ecdysone synthesis/release (Broadhead et al, unpublished). In this movie, serotonergic fibers can be seen innervating the larval ring-gland (the lobes on the top of the brain) which is the endocrine organ responsible for ecdysone synthesis.

Magenta: anti-5-HT, Green: tph-GAL4>UAS-syt::GFP, Blue: DAPI 

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) of Drosophila larvae are glutamatergic synapses similar to the ones in the mammalian central brain. This movie shows the 3D structure of the NMJ. The motor axon is labeled in green, and the puncta on the blue muscle are the boutons--sites of neurotransmitter release. The red signal constitutes the postsynaptic densities.

Think actin is the only major fiber in muscle? Think again!
Drosophila larval skeletal muscle shown in this movie contains an extensive network of microtubules (red) close to the surface of the muscle and play several essential functions including maintenance of neuromuscular junction (yellow) stability and appropriate spacing between muscle nuclei.

This movie shows the microtubule and actin based cytoskeleton in cultured cells. The green specks apparent in the cell in the middle represents an microtubule binding peptide. The signal appears yellow due to perfect overlap with red.