Abstract
Parasitism Immune cells are generated and activated to fight injury and disease. Curiously, environmental odors can mediate cellular response in the immune system. Madhwal et al. studied the Drosophila larval olfactory system during attack by parasitoid wasps. They show that olfactory stimulation results in the release of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) from neurons, which is then used by blood progenitor cells to stabilize a protein called Sima/HIFa. This then promotes differentiation in cells known as lamellocytes that are involved in encapsulating and eliminating wasp eggs. When flies live in wasp-infected areas, they enhance survival by using this olfactory-immune mechanism to protect against parasitic wasp infection. eLife 9, e60376 (2020).
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