Differentiation of Drosophila neuroblasts to form ganglion-like clusters of neurons in vitro.

Abstract Neuroblasts were taken from Drosophila gastrulae and cultured in vitro. A certain type of neuroblast was found to undergo unequal divisions and generate a cluster of approx. 18 neurons. The cluster was formed with the structure of a miniature ganglion, cell bodies at the periphery and axons in the interior. These neuroblast differentiations probably were autonomous after the cells were 2 hr older than the onset of gastrulation in the embryo, and possibly autonomous even before then.