The role of larval fat cells in adult Drosophila melanogaster

These cells survive metamorphosis and are present in the newly eclosed adult.

“These cells survive metamorphosis (Aguila et al., 2007) and are present in the newly eclosed adult.”

Retention of larval fat cells by inhibition of PCD increases starvation resistance of older adults.

“This difference is not age dependent per se, because retention of the larval fat cells by inhibition of PCD increases the starvation resistance of older adults (Aguila et al., 2007).”

In an earlier study, inhibiting normal PCD of larval fat cells increased starvation resistance in adult D. melanogaster.

“In an earlier study, we showed that inhibiting normal PCD of the larval fat cells increased starvation resistance in adult D. melanogaster (Aguila et al., 2007).”

Starvation resistance declines when fat body stores are released and taken up by the ovaries.

“yet starvation resistance declines (Aguila et al., 2007).”

The larval fat cells serve as 'meals-ready-to-eat' in the face of starvation, where newly eclosed females that still retain their larval fat cells are over twice as starvation resistant as older adults in which the larval fat cells have undergone PCD.

“The larval fat cells also serve as 'meals-ready-to-eat' in the face of starvation (Aguila et al., 2007), where newly eclosed females that still retain their larval fat cells are over twice as starvation resistant as older adults in which the larval fat cells have undergone PCD.”

Nutrients can be mobilized from the larval fat cells, even when PCD is inhibited.

“It is important to note that nutrients can be mobilized from the larval fat cells, even when PCD is inhibited.”

Rapid maturation of the ovaries corresponds to the window during which larval fat cells normally undergo PCD.

“Rapid maturation of the ovaries corresponds to the window during which larval fat cells normally undergo PCD (Nelliot et al., 2006;Aguila et al., 2007)”