Abstract

Controlling Reproduction Through Secretions

yael heifetz, PI, Hebrew University

In preparation for the acquisition of reproductive functionality, the female reproductive tract (RT) undergoes physiological changes. Both male and female contribute important components required for a suitable environment in which a healthy offspring will develop. In Drosophila melanogaster, the major secretory centers in the female RT are the spermathecae and accessory glands. The spermathecae and accessory gland secretory cells provide much of the milieu for the environment where reproductive events occur. Simultaneous disruption of spermatheca and accessory gland development resulted in female sterility. Genetic ablation of the spermathecal secretory cells (SSC) in adulthood impairs sperm storage and egg laying. To better understand how the spermathecae influence female reproductive success, we used Drosophila genetics to study the extracellular vesicles (EVs) involved in intercellular communication within the female RT. We focused on the SSC and examined whether the spermathecal EVs are involved in regulating female fertility. Our results indicate that EVs are essential for achieving high fertility and are used by the SSC as intercellular communication shuttles to modulate processes in the female RT.