Removal of Drosophila Muscle Tissue from Larval Fillets for Immunofluorescence Analysis of Sensory Neurons and Epidermal Cells

Summary

Studies of neuronal morphogenesis using Drosophila larval dendritic arborization (da) neurons benefit from in situ visualization of neuronal and epidermal proteins by immunofluorescence. We describe a procedure that improves immunofluorescence analysis of da neurons and surrounding epidermal cells by removing muscle tissue from the larval body wall.

Abstract

Drosophila larval dendritic arborization (da) neurons are a popular model for investigating mechanisms of neuronal morphogenesis. Da neurons develop in communication with the epidermal cells they innervate and thus their analysis benefits from in situ visualization of both neuronally and epidermally expressed proteins by immunofluorescence. Traditional methods of preparing larval fillets for immunofluorescence experiments leave intact the muscle tissue that covers most of the body wall, presenting several challenges to imaging neuronal and epidermal proteins. Here we describe a method for removing muscle tissue from Drosophila larval fillets. This protocol enables imaging of proteins that are otherwise obscured by muscle tissue, improves signal to noise ratio, and facilitates the use of super-resolution microscopy to study da neuron development.

Introduction

Drosophila larval dendritic arborization (da) neurons provide a valuable model for studying neuronal development due to their amenability to genetic manipulation and the ease with which they can be imaged. These sensory neurons have been instrumental in the identification of numerous pathways that control dendrite morphogenesis^1-3.

Four classes of da neurons (class I - IV) innervate the larval epidermis. These neurons lie between the basement membrane and the epidermis, with their dendrites forming largely two-dimensional arrays^4,5. Of the four classes, class IV da neurons have the most highly branched arbors ....

Protocol

Note: The procedure for muscle removal (Figure 1) is a modification of previously described methods for preparing larval fillets. The steps that precede and follow muscle removal are outlined briefly and the reader is referred to previous work ^{10, 11} for more detailed descriptions.

1. Dissect Larva in Cold Saline

1. Prepare a working dilution of cold HL3.1 saline¹⁵ or cold Ca²⁺-free HL3.1 saline¹¹ (Table 1). Place the larva in a silicone elastomer dish with just enough cold saline to cover the bottom of the dish.
   NOTE: See Discussion regarding the ....

Results

We demonstrate the utility of the muscle removal procedure for improving signal to noise ratio in immunofluorescence experiments to co-visualize the septate junction proteins Coracle (Cora) and Discs-large (Dlg) together with class IV da neurons labeled with the membrane marker CD4-tdTomato.

Cora has been previously used to identify tracts where da neuron dendrites are enclosed by epidermal cells and is one of many identified epidermal factors that have been st.......

Discussion

Here a protocol is described for manual removal of muscle tissue from Drosophila larval fillets. This protocol modifies previously described larval dissection techniques^10,11. After the larva is dissected in a silicone elastomer dish, the dorsal midline is located. A single forceps prong, in its flattest possible orientation, is carefully inserted between the muscle tissue and the epidermis, near the dorsal midline. The forceps are gently pulled upwards to separate muscle tissue from one anchor point .......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Dumont #5 tweezers	Electron Microscopy Sciences	72701-D
Micro Scissors, 8 cm, straight, 5 mm blades, 0.1 mm tips	World Precision Instruments	14003
Sylgard 184 silicone elastomer kit	Dow Corning	3097358-1004	for dissecting plates
Austerlitz insect pins, 0.1 mm	Fine Science Tools	26002-10
Fostec 8375 light source	Artisan Technology Group	62792-4
Zeiss Stemi 2000	Carl Zeiss Microscopy
Vectashield antifade mounting medium	Vector Laboratories	H-1000	for confocal microscopy
Prolong Diamond antifade mountant	Life Technologies	P36970	for structured illumination microscopy
Micro cover glass, 22 x 22 mm, No. 1.5	VWR	48366-227
Superfrost Plus microscope slides, 25 x 75 x 1.0 mm	Fisherbrand	12-550-15
Mouse anti-Coracle antibody	Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank	C615.16	supernatant, dilute 1:50
Mouse anti-Discs large antibody	Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank	4F3	supernatant, dilute 1:50
Rabbit anti-dsRed antibody	Clontech	632496	dilute 1:1,000
Goat anti-rabbit antibody, Alexa Fluor 568 conjugated	ThermoFisher Scientific	A-11011	dilute 1:1,000
Goat anti-mouse antibody, Alexa Fluor 488 conjugated	ThermoFisher Scientific	A-11001	dilute 1:500