Drosophila blood brain barrier - The nuclei are labelled in green, the nervous system is labelled in magenta.
© R. Kottmeier - C. Klämbt

    Analysis of the Drosophila blood brain barrier

    We will focus our efforts on understanding the formation and maintenance of septate junctions that are essential for establishing a functional blood-brain barrier. In particular, we aim to unravel the relevance of tri-cellular junctions. We will analyse how the lateral growth of septate junctions is organized during larval stages and how cell polarity is established and maintained in the glial cells that form the blood-brain barrier. In a second step, we will address the contribution of tri-cellular junctions to the penetration of macrophages that are attracted by tissue damage within the brain.

    Research area: Neurobiology

    Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Christian Klämbt
    Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Stefan Luschnig (since 07/2016)
    Dr. Stefanie Schirmeier (since 07/2016)

    Funding period: July 2012 - June 2024

    • Publications

      Original articles

      • Sauerwald, J., Backer, W., Matzat, T., Schnorrer, F., and Luschnig, S (2019) Matrix metalloproteinase 1 modulates invasive behavior of tracheal branches during ingression into Drosophila flight muscles. eLife. Elife 2;8. pii: e48857. doi: 10.7554/eLife.48857.
      • Petri, J., Syed, M. H., Rey, S. and Klämbt, C. (2019). Non-Cell-Autonomous Function of the GPI-Anchored Protein Undicht during Septate Junction Assembly. Cell Rep 26, 1641–1653.e4.
      • Dlugos CP, Picciotto C, Lepa C, Krakow M, Stöber A, Eddy ML, Weide T, Jeibmann A, P Krahn M, Van Marck V, Klingauf J, Ricker A, Wedlich-Söldner R, Pavenstädt H, Klämbt C, George B (2019) Nephrin Signaling Results in Integrin beta1 Activation. JASN 30: 1006-1019.
      • Babatz, F., Naffin, E. and Klämbt, C. (2018). The Drosophila Blood-Brain Barrier Adapts to Cell Growth by Unfolding of Pre-existing Septate Junctions. Developmental Cell 47, 697–710.e3.
      • Volkenhoff, A., Hirrlinger, J., Kappel, J. M., Klämbt, C. and Schirmeier, S. (2018). Live imaging using a FRET glucose sensor reveals glucose delivery to all cell types in the Drosophila brain. J Insect Physiol 106, 55–64.
      • Yildirim, K., Petri, J., Kottmeier, R. and Klämbt, C. (2018). Drosophila glia: Few cell types and many conserved functions. Glia 21, 276.
      • Zülbahar, S., Sieglitz, F., Kottmeier, R., Altenhein, B., Rumpf, S. and Klämbt, C. (2018). Differential expression of Öbek controls ploidy in the Drosophila blood-brain barrier. Development 145, dev164111.
      • Misra, T., Baccino-Calace, M., Meyenhofer, F., Rodriguez-Crespo, D., Akarsu, H., Armenta-Calderón, R., Gorr, T.A., Frei, C., Cantera, R., Egger, B. and Luschnig, S. (2017). A genetically encoded biosensor for visualising hypoxia responses in vivo. Biology Open 6, 296–304.
      • Matzat T, Sieglitz F, Kottmeier R, Babatz F, Engelen D, Klämbt C (2015) Axonal wrapping in the Drosophila PNS is controlled by glia-derived neuregulin homolog Vein. Development 142: 1336-1345.
      • Volkenhoff A, Weiler A, Letzel M, Stehling M, Klämbt C, Schirmeier S (2015) Glial glycolysis is essential for neuronal survival in Drosophila. Cell Metab 22: 437-447.
      • Limmer S, Weiler A, Volkenhoff A, Babatz F, Klämbt C (2014) The Drosophila blood-brain barrier: development and function of a glial endothelium. Front Neurosci 8: 365. [Stefanie Schirmeier, neé Limmer]

      Reviews

      • Schirmeier S, Matzat T, Klämbt C (2016) Axon ensheathment and metabolic supply by glial cells in Drosophila. Brain Res 1641(Pt A): 122-129. (doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.09.003. Epub 2015 Sep 12.)