Images from our research

Neurons in the zebrafish brain that normally receive input from the retina develop just fine without that input. Surprisingly, the neurons are able to drive behavior even if they have never been in touch with the visual world. Some of these neurons and their axonal connections to motor centers are depicted here.

Research from Herwig Baier's department.

With fewer than 200,000 nerve cells, the fruit fly brain (blue) processes highly complex temporal signals. Here, some of these nerve cells are shown in red, a single cell in the visual system is highlighted in white.

Research from Alexander Borst’s department.

The joy of eating – but when is it enough? A study now shows that the hormone ghrelin and specialized neurons regulate food intake and the associated feeling of reward.

Research from Rüdiger Klein’s department.

A selection of gene expression maps that have now been included in the Max Planck Zebrafish Brain (mapzebrain) atlas. The scientists mapped gene expression across the entire zebrafish brain at single-cell resolution.

Research from the department of Herwig Baier.

Redstarts move their nesting sites closer to human settlements to protect their nest against brood parasitism. Cuckoos use an egg matching strategy to find the optimal host nest for their eggs.

Research from the department of Bart Kempenaers.

Free-living great tits show large differences in how strongly their blood hormone levels vary with environmental temperatures. These differences could make it easier for bird populations to adjust to changes in environmental conditions, such as temperature extremes.

Research from the group of Michaela Hau.

Fruit flies can move the retinas of their otherwise rigid compound eyes to visually follow objects and successfully cross obstacles. The retinal movements occur via two small muscles in the fly eye and strongly resemble those of the human eye.

Research from the Lise Meitner Research Group of Lisa Fenk.

Woodpeckers modified their savory receptor to taste sweet. However, wrynecks, unusual woodpeckers that specialize on ants as food, lost this ability again through an unexpected molecular change in the receptor.
Research from the group of Maude Baldwin

A specialized brain region enables zebrafish to detect and approach nearby conspecifics.
Research from the department of Herwig Baier

Zebra finches in flight in a wind tunnel. The birds use both vision and calls to coordinate their flight positions and avoid collisions.
 

The asymmetrical nest of the rusty potter has its entrance on the right or left side. Probably the breeding pairs build the entrances on the same side of their nest also in the following years.

Messenger RNAs use mitochondria as a vehicle to reach distant locations within nerve cells. There, they can be used as blueprints for the production of short-lived proteins that would not survive the long journey.
Research from the group of Angelika Harbauer.

Electrical synapses connect neurons in almost all brains; however, little is known about them. A study now shows for the first time where these specific synapses occur in the fruit fly brain and that they influence the function and stability of nerve cells.
Research from the department of Alexander Borst.

Using an artificial intelligence technique, researchers discovered dialects in the songs of different zebra finch populations. A small backpack including a QR code was used to track all individuals and create social interaction maps. The researchers found that females select their partner mainly according to dialect.
Research from the department of Bart Kempenaers.

Ruffs males come in three different morphs. Independents (in the back) aggressively defend a territory to impress females. Satellites (right) build alliances with Independents, while the rare Faeder males (front) look and behave like females to avoid aggressive competition with other ruff males.
Research from the group of Clemens Küpper.

Structure and function of neurons are closely linked in the cerebral cortex. Pyramidal cells in mouse visual cortex respond selectively to the orientation and direction of objects.
Research from the department of Tobias Bonhoeffer.

Scientists now show that neurons in the fruit fly brain multiply by dividing by the reciprocal.
Research from the department of Alexander Borst.