title: In vivo imaging of Dauer-specific neuronal remodeling in C. elegans.
abstract: The mechanisms controlling stress-induced phenotypic plasticity in animals are frequently complex and difficult to study in vivo. A classic example of stress-induced plasticity is the dauer stage of C. elegans. Dauers are an alternative developmental larval stage formed under conditions of low concentrations of bacterial food and high concentrations of a dauer pheromone. Dauers display extensive developmental and behavioral plasticity. For example, a set of four inner-labial quadrant (IL2Q) neurons undergo extensive reversible remodeling during dauer formation. Utilizing the well-known environmental pathways regulating dauer entry, a previously established method for the production of crude dauer pheromone from large-scale liquid nematode cultures is demonstrated. With this method, a concentration of 50,000 - 75,000 nematodes/ml of liquid culture is sufficient to produce a highly potent crude dauer pheromone. The crude pheromone potency is determined by a dose-response bioassay. Finally, the methods used for in vivo time-lapse imaging of the IL2Qs during dauer formation are described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; nes@illinois.edu.
authors.forename: Nathan E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Schroeder
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
authors.forename: Kristen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Flatt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast / Q000379:methods; D023421:Models, Animal; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010675:Pheromones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010675:Pheromones