For fruit fly and vision enthusiasts and specialists:
"Electrical synapses mediate visual approach behavior", Frighetto et al. 2025 (from Mark A. Frye and Larry Zipursky's labs)
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.14.682373v1
"Our findings reveal mechanisms underlying visual approach, and highlight the interplay between electrical and chemical neurotransmission for rapid object detection and action selection."
#neuroscience #Drosophila #vision #GapJunctions
Electrical synapses mediate visual approach behavior
Detecting salient visual objects and orienting toward them are commonplace tasks for animals, yet the underlying neural circuit mechanisms remain poorly understood. The fruit fly is an ideal model for a comprehensive analysis of feature detection mechanisms given its complete synaptic wiring diagrams, robust behavioral assays, and cell-type-specific gene expression datasets. We previously showed that columnar visual neurons T3 are required for saccadic orientation toward landscape features during flight. Here, we examine how signals downstream of T3 are processed in the central brain. We identify the LC17 type of visual projection neurons as key postsynaptic targets: they receive strong excitatory input from T3, project to premotor brain regions, and are thus positioned to support visual approach. Using in vivo optical physiology and virtual reality behavior, we demonstrate that LC17 neurons are indeed necessary for object tracking during flight. Furthermore, we find that electrical synapses in LC17 are also required for tracking behavior. Accordingly, we show that the innexin Shaking B ( shakB ) is highly expressed in LC17 dendrites, and genetic perturbations confirm an essential role for gap junctional coupling in this circuit. Our findings reveal mechanisms underlying visual approach, and highlight the interplay between electrical and chemical neurotransmission for rapid object detection and action selection.
### Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
NIH, R01EY026031, K99EY036889, K99EY036123, R01NS054814
Here is a direct follow-up on this, now showing how to implement #GapJunctions in a network of #spiking #neurons (#SNN) using the #NESTsimulator. We simulate a network of 500 inhibitory neurons with gap junctions and analyze the effects on #synchrony and #oscillations. The code is also available on GitHub. Feel free to modify and expand upon it 🤗
🌍 https://www.fabriziomusacchio.com/blog/2025-09-17-gap_junctions_network_example/
#CompNeuro #Neuroscience https://sigmoid.social/@pixeltracker/115044925455984072
📝 New blog post: #GapJunctions (#ElectricalSynapses) enable direct electrical and chemical communication between #neurons, synchronizing activity and supporting rapid signal propagation. Their #modeling is crucial for understanding #NeuralNetworkDynamics, #oscillations, and #brain 🧠function. Here is a brief summary including a small #PythonTutorial using the #NESTsimulator.
🌍 https://www.fabriziomusacchio.com/blog/2025-08-15-gap_junctions/
#CompNeuro #Neuroscience #Python #OpenSource
Gap junctions allow transfer of small molecules between cells. This study shows that
#GapJunctions allow the exchange of metabolites between germ cells & somatic cells to promote germline growth during
#Drosophila #oogenesis #plosbiology https://plos.io/3CYrZwu
Gap junctions allow transfer of metabolites between germ cells and somatic cells to promote germ cell growth in the Drosophila ovary
Gap junctions allow transfer of small molecules between cells, but it is unclear if cells can use this process to promote cell growth. Here, the authors show that gap junctions allow the exchange of metabolites between germ cells and somatic cells to promote germline growth during Drosophila oogenesis.
Inhibition of
#GapJunctions can stimulate new
#feather bud formation in specific topological positions in developing
#ChickenSkin explants, as predicted by math simulations of consecutive waves of
#Turing instabilities
#PLOSBiology https://plos.io/3V2caLm
Gap junctions in Turing-type periodic feather pattern formation
Gap junctions mediate direct exchanges of ions or small molecules between cells, enabling rapid long-distance communication. This study shows that inhibition of gap junction intercellular communication can stimulate new feather bud formation in specific topological positions in developing chick skin explants, which can be predicted with mathematical simulations of consecutive waves of Turing’s instabilities.
Zwei Gruppen von der
@humboldtuni und der
@unimainz beschreiben einen neu entdeckten Mechanismus zur Steuerung des
#FlĂĽgel-Schlags bei
#Insekten – inklusive der wichtigen Rolle, die
#GapJunctions dabei spielen …
— Angela Magin erklärt's genauer:
https://www.laborjournal.de/rubric/journalclub/jc/jc_23_10_01.phpLaborjournal online: Journalclub - Steuerungsmechanismus des asynchronen Insektenfluges aufgeklärt
FĂĽnf schwach elektrisch gekoppelte Motoneurone steuern autonom die Schlagfrequenz und -amplitude von Drosophila-FlĂĽgeln
Albert Cardona
Fabrizio Musacchio
PLOS Biology
Laborjournal