Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster, an increasing number of members of the steroid hormone receptor superfamily are being identified and characterized. Molecular and genetic analysis of receptor function provides evidence for a set of functions underlying the determination of pattern formation, metamorphosis, eye development, and reproduction. Many of the Drosophila receptor genes show striking homologies to mammalian receptor genes. This suggests that genetic analysis in flies could facilitate the generation of biological models that pertain to complex hormonal responses in development and which are relevant to both vertebrate and invertebrate systems.
