C Elegans
C Elegans - Related Videos
11:34
Basic Caenorhabditis elegans Methods: Synchronization and Observation
0 Views •
Cited by 452 •
2012
The easiness of maintaining and propagating the nematode C. elegans make it a nice model organism to work with. The possibility of synchronizing worms allows the work with a significant amount of subjects at the same developmental stage, what facilitates the study of one particular process in many animals.
10:54
C. elegans Maintenance
0 Views •
2023
Ceanorhabditis elegans has been, and is still, used to great success as a model organism for studying a variety of developmental, genetic, molecular and even physical phenomena. In order to use C. elegans to its full potential, proper care and attention to the basic maintenance of this powerful organism is essential. In this video you will learn the basic housing and feeding requirements of C. elegans, how to correctly handle and manipulate worms using a worm pick and how to freeze and recover...
09:51
RNAi in C. elegans
0 Views •
2023
RNA interference (RNAi) is a widely used technique in which double stranded RNA is exogenously introduced into an organism, causing knockdown of a target gene. In the nematode, C. elegans, RNAi is particularly easy and effective because it can be delivered simply by feeding the worms bacteria that express double stranded RNA (dsRNA) that is complementary to a gene of interest. First, this video will introduce the concept of RNA interference and explain how it causes targeted gene knockdown.
09:13
An Introduction to Caenorhabditis elegans
0 Views •
2023
Caenorhabditis elegans is a microscopic, soil-dwelling roundworm that has been powerfully used as a model organism since the early 1970’s. It was initially proposed as a model for developmental biology because of its invariant body plan, ease of genetic manipulation and low cost of maintenance. Since then C. elegans has rapidly grown in popularity and is now utilized in numerous research endeavors, from studying the forces at work during locomotion to studies of neural circuitry. This video...
09:14
C. elegans Development and Reproduction
0 Views •
2023
Ceanorhabditis elegans is a powerful tool to help understand how organisms develop from a single cell into a vast interconnected array of functioning tissues. Early work in C. elegans traced the complete cell lineage and structure at the electron microscopy level, allowing researchers unprecedented insight into the connection between genes, development and disease. Appreciating the stereotyped development and reproductive program of C. elegans is essential to using this model organism to its...
FAQs
Hermaphrodites can produce self-fertilized offspring, which helps researchers maintain genetic lines and examine inherited traits under controlled conditions. Introducing males enables crosses between distinct lines, allowing investigators to combine genetic backgrounds and compare resulting offspring. These two reproductive options make it possible to study gene function and inheritance with different levels of experimental control.
The animal’s transparency allows microscopy to reveal cells, tissues, and developing structures without relying only on indirect measurements. Researchers can therefore connect visible biological changes with genetic manipulation or behavioral outcomes. This supports investigations that follow how anatomy and cellular organization relate to development, nervous-system function, and other biological processes.
A short generation time allows researchers to observe inherited effects and biological changes across generations within practical laboratory studies. Simple anatomy also makes cellular and tissue-level relationships easier to examine systematically. Together, these features support controlled, reproducible experiments and contribute to the organism’s usefulness for larger-scale investigations of genes, development, and physiology.
Studies in C. elegans can examine how genes influence development, nervous-system biology, aging, metabolism, and behavior. Genetic manipulation provides a way to alter or test gene function, while microscopy helps reveal associated cellular or tissue changes. Because some pathways are conserved, findings can also provide scientific context for biological processes relevant to human disease.
A typical study begins by maintaining laboratory populations and selecting hermaphrodites for self-fertilization or crosses with males, depending on the genetic question. Researchers then apply genetic manipulation and use microscopy to examine cells, tissues, or development, while observing relevant biological outcomes. This workflow links experimental genetic changes with measurable structural or functional results.
This model is particularly useful when investigators need reproducible experiments that connect gene function with development, cellular organization, nervous-system activity, aging, metabolism, or behavior. Its accessibility and suitability for large-scale studies make it valuable for examining many conditions systematically. Conserved biological pathways further support its use in research related to human disease.