Electroretinograms in Drosophila: a robust and genetically accessible electrophysiological system for the undergraduate laboratory

Laboratory courses in neurophysiology fulfill a critical need for inquiry-based training in undergraduate programs in neuroscience and biology. These courses typically use classical electrophysiological preparations to explore the basic features of neuronal function. However, current neuroscience research also focuses on elucidating the molecular and genetic mechanisms of neuronal function, using model systems that include mutant and transgenic animals. To bridge laboratory training in neurophysiology with modern molecular genetics, we describe a teaching model based on electroretinography of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, a long-established model system for basic neuroscience research. Drosophila are easily maintained, economical, and have hundreds of neurophysiologically relevant mutant strains and genetic tools readily available. The Drosophila electroretinogram (ERG) is a simple and accessible extracellular recording of a neural signal in the fly eye in response to flashes of light. The signal is multifaceted and the response is sensitive to stimulation parameters such as intensity, duration and wavelength, thus forming a rich source of analysis for students. Most importantly, different mutations affecting key components of intracellular signaling, synaptic transmission or neuronal function can affect the ERG waveform in characteristic ways. Recording wild type and mutant ERGs allows students to examine firsthand the connection between genetics, biochemical pathways, and electrophysiology. This neurophysiology laboratory course can facilitate and enhance an understanding of the cellular and molecular contributions to neurophysiological recordings.