Deciphering the fine neuroendocrine regulatory system during development

(University of Tsukuba) Researchers from the University of Tsukuba discovered that Crz is a key molecule for body size adjustment during the larval stage. Using Drosophila melanogaster, they demonstrated that Crz controls basal ecdysteroid biosynthesis by acting on PTTH-producing neurons during only a specific larval stage to facilitate larval transition to the next stage. These findings help understand how growth and maturation are regulated during development.