Anatomical reconstruction of the miniature strain gauges that control insect flight

Campaniform sensilla are among the most sensitive mechanosensory organs in the animal kingdom; however, we currently lack high-resolution anatomy that would reveal the biomechanical principles that underlie their remarkable sensitivity. Here, we propose to use X-ray phase contrast nanoscale tomography to image several hundred mechanosensory organs on the wing and haltere of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Imaging these structures at 50 nm resolution will allow us to analyze how campaniform sensilla sense mechanical forces produced during flight. This will represent a major step toward understanding the biological design principles that underlie mechanosensation.