CO2 and compressive immobilization of C. elegans on-chip.
We present two microfluidic approaches for immobilizing the roundworm C. elegans on-chip. The first approach creates a CO(2) micro-environment while the second one utilizes a deformable PDMS membrane to mechanically restrict the worm's movement. An on-chip 'behavior' module was used to characterize the effect of these methods on the worm's locomotion pattern. Our results indicate that both methods are appropriate for the short-term (minutes) worm immobilization. The CO(2) method offers the additional advantages of long-term immobilization (1-2 hours) and reduced photobleaching, if fluorescent imaging during immobilization is required. We envision the use of these methods in a wide variety of biological studies in C. elegans, including cell developmental and neuronal regeneration studies.
Chokshi
Trushal Vijaykumar
TV
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Ben-Yakar
Adela
A
Chronis
Nikos
N
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000378:metabolism*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D044085:Microfluidics
D002245:Carbon Dioxide