Developmental control of the orientation of cuticular structures inDrosophila

Summary A scanning electron microscope study of bristle mutations inDrosophila melanogaster has shown that the cell hairs (trichomes) can be altered in predictable ways. The trichomes appear to act as markers of a diffusion gradient dttermining the orientation of cuticular structures in the thorax.We are grateful to W.F. Chissoe and M.R. Whitmore for theil help with the electron microscopy.This work was supported by DHEW-NIGMS grant GM2480901.