Abstract
The male and female gonads of Drosophila melanogaster have developed into powerful model systems for both the study of stem cell behaviours,
and for understanding how stem cell misregulation can lead to cancers. Using these
systems, one is able to observe and manipulate the resident stem cell populations
in vivo with a great deal of licence. The tractability of the testis and ovary also allow
researchers to explore a range of cellular mechanisms, such as proliferation and polarity,
as well as the influence exerted by the local environment through a host of highly-conserved
signalling pathways. Importantly, many of the cellular behaviours and processes studied
in the Drosophila testis and ovary are known to be disrupted, or otherwise misregulated, in human tumourigenic
cells. Here, we review the mechanisms relating to stem cell behaviour, though we acknowledge
there are many other fascinating aspects of gametogenesis, including the invasive
behaviour of migratory border cells in the Drosophila ovary that, though relevant to the study of tumourigenesis, will unfortunately not
be covered.
Keywords
Drosophila
- cancer - testis - ovary - germline - stem cell - niche
