Figure 5.

Cubilin/AMN-mediated protein uptake in nephrocytes is required for toxin resistance. (A) Silver nitrate (AgNO₃) is efficiently collected by pericardial nephrocytes in wild-type (WT) Drosophila larvae. (B and C) Pericardial nephrocyte-specific RNAi knockdown of (B) dCubilin or (C) dAMN completely blocked silver nitrate uptake. Insets in A–C show Hand-GFP (green) for the same larva as depicted in each panel. (D) Toxin treatment did not affect wild-type fly survivability but significantly reduced the survivability of flies with pericardial nephrocyte-specific knockdown of dCubilin or dAMN.