A Fly Model of Neurodegeneration in Parkinson's Disease

This work explains a current theory of why cells die in Parkinson's disease (PD). It then describes experiments with Drosophila primary cell cultures studying the molecular mechanisms of PD pathology, calcium signaling, and mitochondrial physiology. Methods describe cell culture, immunocytochemistry, fluorescent imaging, electrophysiology, and computerized analysis using the software ImageJ. The author concludes that treatment for PD must be started almost concomitantly with the onset of disease in order for rescue therapy to be effective, and also reveals some novel molecular mechanisms in the neuroprotective signaling pathway.