Generating patterned arrays of photoreceptors

One of the most fascinating topics in biology is to understand the development of highly differentiated cells such as photoreceptors (PRs). This process involves successive steps, starting with the generation of the eye primordium, recruitment and specification of PRs and finally, expression of the proper rhodopsin, the photopigment that initiates the signaling cascade underlying light input excitation. In this review, we describe the sequential steps that take place in the Drosophila eye, from the initial neuronal specification of PRs through their full maturation, focusing specifically on the transcription factors and signaling pathways involved in controlling the precise expression of different rhodopsins in specialized PRs.