Enzymatic Digestion and Manual Dissociation: A Method to Prepare C. elegans Embryos for Cell Culture

Published: April 30, 2023

Abstract

Source: Sangaletti, R. and Bianchi, L. A Method for Culturing Embryonic C. elegans Cells. J. Vis. Exp. (2013).

This video introduces a method to isolate and sterilely culture embryonic C. elegans cells in vitro.

Protocol

1. Embryonic Cells Dissociation Conduct the next steps of the procedure under sterile conditions using a laminar flow hood. While animals are gown on bacteria plates, the washes and the treatment with the lysis solution containing bleach should eliminate most if not all the bacteria. Thus using a laminar hood at this point of the procedure prevents new contamination of the egg suspension. Resuspend pelleted eggs in 1 ml of 2 mg/ml chitinase (stock in egg buffer pH 6.5) and transfer …

Representative Results

Figure 1. C. elegans embryos before and after chitinase treatment. (A) Photograph of eggs prior to exposure to chitinase. The arrow points to the transparent and intact eggshell surrounding an embryo. (B) Eggs treated with chitinase for 10 min. The eggshells have been digested and are no longer visible around th…

Materials

REAGENTS
Leibovitz's L-15 Medium (1x) Liquid Invitrogen 11415-064
Fetal Bovine Serum Invitrogen 16140-063
Penicillin-streptomycin Sigma P4333-100ML
Chitinase from Streptomyces Griseus Sigma C6137-25UN
Peanut Lectin Sigma L0881-10MG
EQUIPMENT
101-1000 μl Blue Graduated Pipet Tips USA Scentific 1111-2821
10 ml Sterilized Pipet Individually Wrapped USA Scentific 1071-0810
Ergonomic Variable Volume (100-1000 μl) Pipettor with tip ejector VWR International Inc. 89079-974
Portable Pipet Aid, Drummond VWR International Inc. 53498-103
Transfer Plastic Pipet Sterile VWR International Inc. 14670-114
15 ml Conical Tube USA Scentific 1475-1611
Sterile 18 gauge Needles Becton, Dickinson and Co. 305196
Sterile 10 ml Syringes Becton, Dickinson and Co. 305482
Plastic Syringe Filters Corning 0,20 μm pore size Corning 431224
Acrodic 25 mm Syringe filter w/5 μm versapor Membrane VWR International Inc. 28144-095
60×15 mm Petri Dish Sterile VWR International Inc. 82050-548
100×15 mm Petri Dish Sterile VWR International Inc. 82050-912
12 mm Diameter Glass Coverslips VWR International Inc. 48300-560
Clear Cell Culture Plates 24 Well Flat Bottom w/lid Thomas scientific 6902A09
Dumont #5- Fine Forceps Fine Science Tools 11254-20
Centrifuge 5702 Eppendorf 22629883
Laminar Flow Hood
Inverted Microscope with x10 objective
Ambient air humidified Incubator
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Cite This Article
Enzymatic Digestion and Manual Dissociation: A Method to Prepare C. elegans Embryos for Cell Culture. J. Vis. Exp. (Pending Publication), e20159, doi: (2023).

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