The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, extends its proboscis for feeding, responding to a sugar stimulus from its proboscis or tarsus. I have combined observations of the proboscis extension response (PER) with a calcium imaging technique, allowing us to monitor the activity of neurons in the brain, simultaneously with behavioral observation.
Total time
~1–2 hours per fly (including dissection, mounting, and full imaging protocol)
Model organism
Drosophila melanogaster
Steps
1
Construct the fly imaging stage apparatus
Build the Fly brain Live Imaging and Electrophysiology Stage (FLIES) required for simultaneous recordings. This apparatus integrates proboscis stimulation, behavioral observation, and optical imaging capabilities.
▶ 01:30
2
Prepare the fly for neural observation
Mount and restrain the Drosophila specimen on the imaging stage, position the head for optical access, and ensure proboscis accessibility for sensory stimulation.
▶ 02:00
3
Deliver sugar stimulus to proboscis
Apply controlled sugar stimulation to the proboscis or tarsus to elicit the proboscis extension reflex (PER) response during simultaneous recording.
▶ 04:41
4
Record calcium imaging and behavior simultaneously
Capture calcium signals from identified neurons in the brain while monitoring proboscis extension behavior in real time, correlating neural activity with feeding response.
▶ 05:28