Abstract
Recent work has shown that bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) growth factors regulate development of the larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ) of Drosophila. Intriguingly, the same BMP growth factors also influence the expression of circulating hormones that modulate the physiological properties of NMJs. Together, the results suggest that retrograde growth factor signaling by BMPs integrates neuromuscular development and function at both local and global levels in the animal.
