Indirect flight muscles in Drosophila melanogaster as a tractable model to study muscle development and disease

Abstract

Myogenesis is a complex multifactorial process leading to the formation of the adult muscle. An amalgamation of autonomous processes including myoblast fusion and myofibrillogenesis, as well as non-autonomous processes, such as innervations from neurons and precise connections with attachment sites, are responsible for successful development and function of muscles. In this review, we describe the development of the indirect flight muscles (IFMs) in Drosophila melanogaster, and highlight the use of the IFMs as a model for studying muscle development and disease, based on recent studies on the development and function of IFMs.