Fly Macrophages, Migration, and the Extracellular Matrix

My lab has been exploiting the embryonic migration of Drosophila macrophages (hemocytes) as a genetically tractable model to understand the role and regulation of cell migration. We have developed approaches to image these cells at a resolution that approaches what can be obtained from cells in culture; this has allowed us to extend image analysis techniques normally only used to analyse cells in vitro, to an in vivo setting. I will discuss recent work using this model which highlights a central role for actin flows in regulating cell motility. Additionally, we have recently elucidated the surprising function of hemocytes during fly embryogenesis, the deposition of basement membrane, and I will introduce new projects in the lab focused on understanding the formation and function of the extracellular matrix during development.