Home › Analytical Chem › Monitoring Heart Function in Larval Drosophila melanogaster for Physiological Studies
Analytical Chem JoVE (Open Access) Citable · DOI

Monitoring Heart Function in Larval Drosophila melanogaster for Physiological Studies

DOI: 10.3791/1596-v
What you'll learn
  • ✓ Apply three intact larval preparation methods to monitor Drosophila heart function
  • ✓ Perform larval dissection and identify cardiac tissue for physiological measurement
  • ✓ Conduct electrical pacing and field potential recordings on larval hearts
  • ✓ Assess gap junction, ion channel, and pharmacological effects on cardiac output
Protocol

Biopharma Insights We present various ways to monitor heart function in the larva of Drosophila for assessing questions dealing with the function of gap junctions, ion channel mutations, modulation of pacemaker activity and pharmacological studies.

Difficulty
advanced
Total time
~2-4 hours per larval preparation and recording session
Model organism
Drosophila melanogaster larvae
Biosafety
BSL-1

Steps

1
Introduce cardiac monitoring approaches in larval Drosophila

Review the biological context for monitoring heart function in larvae, including assessment of gap junctions, ion channel mutations, pacemaker modulation, and pharmacological effects.

▶ 00:29
2
Prepare unrestrained larvae using ant farm method

Position larvae in an agarose chamber without physical restraint to allow natural movement while enabling visual monitoring of heart contractions under the microscope.

▶ 00:55
3
Immobilize larvae using adhesive glue method

Apply glue to restrain larvae on a slide, reducing motion artifacts while maintaining cardiac function for stable electrophysiological and optical recordings.

▶ 02:01
4
Dissect larval tissue to expose heart chamber

Remove larval integument and accessory structures to isolate and visualize the cardiac tube for direct electrode placement and intracellular measurement.

▶ 03:52
5
Apply electrical pacing stimulation to larval heart

Use an electrode to deliver controlled electrical pulses and assess cardiac response, including pacemaker threshold and conduction properties.

▶ 05:43
6
Record field potentials and intracellular signals

Measure extracellular field potentials and intracellular membrane voltages from cardiac myocytes to assess electrical activity and pharmacological responsiveness.

▶ 07:21
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