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Yuan H, Yuan W, Duan S, Jiao K, Zhang Q, Lim EG, Chen M, Zhao C, Pan P, Liu X, Song P. Microfluidic-Assisted Caenorhabditis elegans Sorting: Current Status and Future Prospects. CYBORG AND BIONIC SYSTEMS 2023; 4:0011. [PMID: 37287459 PMCID: PMC10243201 DOI: 10.34133/cbsystems.0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) has been a popular model organism for several decades since its first discovery of the huge research potential for modeling human diseases and genetics. Sorting is an important means of providing stage- or age-synchronized worm populations for many worm-based bioassays. However, conventional manual techniques for C. elegans sorting are tedious and inefficient, and commercial complex object parametric analyzer and sorter is too expensive and bulky for most laboratories. Recently, the development of lab-on-a-chip (microfluidics) technology has greatly facilitated C. elegans studies where large numbers of synchronized worm populations are required and advances of new designs, mechanisms, and automation algorithms. Most previous reviews have focused on the development of microfluidic devices but lacked the summaries and discussion of the biological research demands of C. elegans, and are hard to read for worm researchers. We aim to comprehensively review the up-to-date microfluidic-assisted C. elegans sorting developments from several angles to suit different background researchers, i.e., biologists and engineers. First, we highlighted the microfluidic C. elegans sorting devices' advantages and limitations compared to the conventional commercialized worm sorting tools. Second, to benefit the engineers, we reviewed the current devices from the perspectives of active or passive sorting, sorting strategies, target populations, and sorting criteria. Third, to benefit the biologists, we reviewed the contributions of sorting to biological research. We expect, by providing this comprehensive review, that each researcher from this multidisciplinary community can effectively find the needed information and, in turn, facilitate future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Yuan
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Wenwen Yuan
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Sixuan Duan
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Keran Jiao
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Chemistry,
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Quan Zhang
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Eng Gee Lim
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Min Chen
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Chun Zhao
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Peng Pan
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Xinyu Liu
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering,
University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Pengfei Song
- School of Advanced Technology,
Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Matty MA, Lau HE, Haley JA, Singh A, Chakraborty A, Kono K, Reddy KC, Hansen M, Chalasani SH. Intestine-to-neuronal signaling alters risk-taking behaviors in food-deprived Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010178. [PMID: 35511794 PMCID: PMC9070953 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals integrate changes in external and internal environments to generate behavior. While neural circuits detecting external cues have been mapped, less is known about how internal states like hunger are integrated into behavioral outputs. Here, we use the nematode C. elegans to examine how changes in internal nutritional status affect chemosensory behaviors. We show that acute food deprivation leads to a reversible decline in repellent, but not attractant, sensitivity. This behavioral change requires two conserved transcription factors MML-1 (MondoA) and HLH-30 (TFEB), both of which translocate from the intestinal nuclei to the cytoplasm during food deprivation. Next, we identify the insulin-like peptide INS-31 as a candidate ligand relaying food-status signals from the intestine to other tissues. Further, we show that neurons likely use the DAF-2 insulin receptor and AGE-1/PI-3 Kinase, but not DAF-16/FOXO to integrate these intestine-released peptides. Altogether, our study shows how internal food status signals are integrated by transcription factors and intestine-neuron signaling to generate flexible behaviors via the gut-brain axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly A. Matty
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Hiu E. Lau
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Jessica A. Haley
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Anupama Singh
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Development, Aging and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Ahana Chakraborty
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Karina Kono
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Kirthi C. Reddy
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Malene Hansen
- Development, Aging and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Sreekanth H. Chalasani
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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