Endocrine regulation of aging and reproduction in Drosophila

Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2009 Feb 5;299(1):39-50. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2008.07.005. Epub 2008 Jul 17.

Abstract

Hormonal signals can modulate lifespan and reproductive capacity across the animal kingdom. The use of model organisms such as worms, flies and mice has been fundamentally important for aging research in the discovery of genetic alterations that can extend healthy lifespan. The effects of mutations in the insulin and insulin-like growth factor-like signaling (IIS) pathways are evolutionarily conserved in that they can increase lifespan in all three animal models. Additionally, steroids and other lipophilic signaling molecules modulate lifespan in diverse organisms. Here we shall review how major hormonal pathways in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster interact to influence reproductive capacity and aging.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aging / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Biogenic Amines / physiology
  • Drosophila / physiology*
  • Endocrine System / physiology*
  • Insulin / physiology
  • Models, Animal
  • Models, Biological
  • Reproduction / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Somatomedins / physiology

Substances

  • Biogenic Amines
  • Insulin
  • Somatomedins