Developmental Mechanisms Problem Set

Problem 8: Embryonic origin of the segments of the adult fruit fly

During development of the fruit fly, the segments of the adult body, including head, three thoracic, and eight abdominal segments, derive from undifferentiated cells in the larva known as:

A. ventral cells

B. neural crest

C. polytene cells

D. imaginal discs
Imaginal discs are found in the larvae of insects such as fruit flies and butterflies. During metamorphosis, these discs proliferate and differentiate to form specific structures in the adult.

E. blastomers

The Biology Project
The University of Arizona
Thursday, October 30, 1997
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