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Feeding the Fat
23 July 2015

Feeding the Fat

Survival of the fittest means having enough food for growth and physical development. Information about an organism’s state of nutrition is passed to the central nervous system (CNS) from organs such as the gut, liver and adipose [fat] tissue. Chemical messages help to establish communication between the different organs but, when communication fails, conditions like obesity and diabetes can occur. By looking at the adipose tissue of baby fruit flies, researchers saw that a molecule called CCaH2 has an important role in growth and metabolism, as it signals to cells in the brain to produce insulin-like proteins. Receptors for CCaH2 were found in the CNS – seen as a brighter green glow in the fly brains pictured. Disrupting CCaH2 and its receptor led to developmental defects in the flies, showing that this pathway is crucial for regulating the coordination of growth with ever-changing nutritional conditions.

Written by Katie Panteli

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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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