日本研究人員10日在美國《神經(jīng)元》雜志上報(bào)告說,，他們發(fā)現(xiàn)了果蠅的求愛機(jī)制。如果能證實(shí)脊椎動(dòng)物也有類似的機(jī)制,，就有可能以此提高家畜等的繁殖效率,。
雄性果蠅和雌性果蠅的腦神經(jīng)細(xì)胞種類不同。日本東北大學(xué)教授山元大輔領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的研究小組發(fā)現(xiàn),，只有雄性果蠅擁有名為P1的神經(jīng)細(xì)胞,，這種細(xì)胞負(fù)責(zé)控制果蠅的求愛行動(dòng)。雄性果蠅接觸到雌性果蠅時(shí),，會(huì)感知到雌性果蠅身上的信息素,，使Ｐ１細(xì)胞興奮起來，從而發(fā)出求愛行動(dòng)的指令,。
研究人員向雄性果蠅的P1細(xì)胞中加入熒光物質(zhì),，這種物質(zhì)在神經(jīng)細(xì)胞興奮時(shí)就會(huì)發(fā)光。隨后研究人員用針插入雄性果蠅的后背,，將其固定住,，然后讓雌性果蠅靠近它們。結(jié)果發(fā)現(xiàn)只要雄性果蠅的足接觸到雌性的身體,，P1細(xì)胞就開始發(fā)光,，雄性果蠅馬上開始了包括扇動(dòng)單側(cè)翅膀在內(nèi)的求愛行動(dòng)。
研究小組認(rèn)為,，這說明雄性果蠅的足部擁有化學(xué)傳感器,，能夠感知到雌性果蠅身上的信息素。他們表示,，魚類等脊椎動(dòng)物也很可能通過特定的腦神經(jīng)細(xì)胞發(fā)出采取求愛行動(dòng)的指令,，如果這一推測能夠得到證實(shí)，養(yǎng)殖業(yè)就有望實(shí)現(xiàn)人工對(duì)動(dòng)物的繁殖活動(dòng)加以控制,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原文出處：
Neuron DOI:10.1016/j.neuron.2010.12.017
Female Contact Activates Male-Specific Interneurons that Trigger Stereotypic Courtship Behavior in Drosophila
Soh Kohatsu, Masayuki Koganezawa, Daisuke Yamamoto
Highlights
Forcible activation of P1 or P2b fru-expressing neurons triggers male courtship
A tethered male initiates courtship when stimulated by a female contact
Tarsal contact with the female body causes a rapid Ca2+ rise in male P1 neurons
Transmidline P1 and descending P2b neurons compose a trigger system for courtship
Summary
We determined the cellular substrate for male courtship behavior by quasinatural and artificial stimulation of brain neurons. Activation of fruitless (fru)-expressing neurons via stimulation of thermosensitive dTrpA1 channels induced an entire series of courtship acts in male Drosophila placed alone without any courting target. By reducing the number of neurons expressing dTrpA1 by MARCM, we demonstrated that the initiation of courtship behavior is significantly correlated with the activation of the transmidline P1 interneurons, the descending P2b interneurons, or both, indicating that these interneurons trigger courtship. Using an experimental paradigm in which a tethered male can be stimulated to initiate courtship by touching his foreleg tarsus to a female's abdomen, we found that P1 neurites of tethered males showed a transient Ca2+ rise after tarsal stimulation with the female-associated sensory cues. These observations strongly suggest that P1 neurons are the prime components of the neural circuitry that initiates male courtship.
