Can Fruit Flies Get Cancer?
WouterThe fruit fly is a very useful model organism for studying cancer. This small creature is able to undergo a complex metamorphosis, including the formation of an air sac. The process of metamorphosis involves complex molecular trickery and cellular choreography. The fruit fly’s transformation from maggot to fruit fly is governed by a series of complex signals. The researchers are hopeful that this knowledge will be useful in fighting cancer and preventing it from spreading.
The research also helps scientists understand how cancer develops. The flies’ genetics mimic human cancers in many ways, including the genetics that control cell growth. The researchers found that the fruit fly Ras gene is involved in 30 to 50 percent of human cancers. This finding makes the research important in the development of drugs that target mutations in the Ras gene. This may lead to more effective drugs for human cancer.
The fruit fly is a powerful model for studying cell death. It contains a suicide programme, known as apoptosis, which is activated when the cell senses that something is wrong. However, cancer cells may be able to turn off apoptosis and resist death, resulting in cancer.
The fruit fly has several advantages over other cancer models. The researchers can follow the flies’ development right up to death. With vertebrates, however, researchers can’t follow their animals through this process. They must euthanize them before they die naturally. The tumor size is used as a proxy for survival.
