Two classes of amine/glutamate multi-transmitter neurons innervate Drosophila internal male reproductive organs.

ABSTRACT: The essential outcome of a successful mating is the transfer of genetic material from males to females in sexually reproducing animals from insects to mammals. In males, this culminates in ejaculation, a precisely timed sequence of organ contractions driven by the concerted activity of interneurons, sensory neurons, and motor neurons. Although central command circuits that trigger copulation have been mapped, the motor architecture and the chemical logic that couple specific neuronal subclasses to organ-specific contractility, seminal fluid secretion, and sperm emission remain largely uncharted. This gap in knowledge limits our ability to explain how neural circuits adapt to varying contexts and how their failure contributes to infertility. Here, we present an in-depth anatomical and funct

SUBMITTER: Chaverra M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12788803 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature