Distinguishing between stereotyped patterns and developmental noise in Drosophila wing cell sizes*

Fruit fly wings are known for their precise bilateral symmetry in adult wing size and vein patterns. The mechanisms that allow flies to achieve such precise control are not yet fully understood. While patterns of gene expression and cell fate have previously been studied, there have been few studies of patterns of cell size across wings. In this talk, we share initial results of analyzing patterns of cell size. We analyze wings of different genotypes to determine the reproducibility of cell size patterns and how they are affected by changes in cell cycle modulation. We develop methods of studying spatial correlations in cell size in order to differentiate between stereotyped patterns and developmental noise on individual wings. Additionally, we develop methods to align wings across individuals in order to identify patterns of correlated noise across different genotypes. Finally, we discuss what such noise can tell us about potential mechanisms for fly wing morphogenesis.