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In-flight Sight
26 January 2013

In-flight Sight

This section through the brain of a fruit fly, Drosophila, shows neurons [nerve cells] firing into action in preparation for flight. Yet something odd is going on – the neurons lit up at the centre of the brain (stained in green with their nuclei stained red) are actually sending messages to the optic lobes (ball-shaped areas on the left and right) where vision is controlled. These special neurons (known as octopamine neurons) boost the fly’s sight prior to take-off, aiding its panoramic view of the terrain whilst soaring high above the ground. Each neuron is 5,000 times thinner than an electrical wire and transmits these signals in a fraction of a second. Speedy ‘re-wiring’ of neurons occurs inside mammalian brains, too – the visual senses of the mouse brain are heightened during movement, a handy trick when you’re on the hunt for a meal, or trying to avoid becoming one.

Written by John Ankers

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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