Visualization of clathrin-mediated endocytosis in live Drosophila egg chambers

Methods Mol Biol. 2014:1174:349-60. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-0944-5_24.

Abstract

In oviparous animals, clathrin-dependent endocytosis is often critical to stockpile a necessary supply of yolk within the maturing oocyte, which enables subsequent embryonic development. In the physically linked chains of maturing egg chambers within the Drosophila melanogaster ovary, a distinct, morphologically discernable subset undergoes a massive burst clathrin-mediated endocytosis to accumulate yolk in a process termed vitellogenesis. Here, we describe how to prepare isolated ovaries to follow endocytosis, and detail approaches to follow live uptake of soluble reporters into vitellogenic Drosophila egg chambers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Clathrin / metabolism*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / anatomy & histology
  • Drosophila melanogaster / physiology*
  • Endocytosis / physiology*
  • Female
  • Microscopy / methods
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods
  • Ovum / cytology*
  • Ovum / physiology*

Substances

  • Clathrin