Hypoxia-Induced Climbing Behavior of Drosophila melanogaster

Begin with a fly food vial containing Drosophila melanogaster flies and larvae placed in a hypoxia chamber.

Place a flashlight in the chamber to illuminate the incubator and observe the larvae.

Set a low oxygen level in the chamber to create a hypoxic environment.

Larvae burrow into the food for nutrients. When oxygen becomes limited in the food, they move to the surface, restore oxygen levels in the body, and then burrow again.

Under hypoxia, returning to the surface no longer restores oxygen adequately, resulting in insufficient oxygen levels in the body.

Sensory neurons detect reduced oxygen levels and signal the central nervous system, leading to a behavioral shift that causes the larvae to leave the food and climb the vial walls.

Open the outer chamber door and count the larvae on the vial walls over time.

An increase in the number of wall-climbing larvae over time indicates an oxygen-dependent behavioral response.

To begin, store the portioned Drosophila fly food vials in a designated refrigerator until the start of the experiment. Maintain experimental Drosophila melanogaster in a controlled environment under standard temperature, humidity, and light–dark conditions.

Transfer the Dro