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Updated: Apr 28, 2026
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Immobilization of Live Caenorhabditis elegans Individuals Using an Ultra-thin Polydimethylsiloxane Microfluidic Chip with Water Retention
Published on: March 19, 2019
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CO2 and compressive immobilization of C. elegans on-chip
Trushal Vijaykumar Chokshi1, Adela Ben-Yakar, Nikos Chronis
1Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Lab on a Chip
|February 12, 2009
Summary
We developed two microfluidic methods to immobilize the roundworm *C. elegans* for research. Both are suitable for short-term studies, with CO(2) offering longer immobilization and reduced photobleaching for fluorescent imaging.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Immobilizing *C. elegans* (roundworm) is crucial for detailed observation in biological studies.
- Existing methods may have limitations in duration or compatibility with advanced imaging techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present and evaluate two novel microfluidic techniques for immobilizing *C. elegans* on a chip.
- To assess the impact of these immobilization methods on worm locomotion patterns.
Main Methods:
- Development of two microfluidic approaches: a CO(2) micro-environment and a deformable Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane.
- Utilizing an on-chip behavior module to quantify worm locomotion and movement restriction.
Main Results:
- Both the CO(2) and PDMS membrane methods effectively immobilize *C. elegans* for short-term (minutes) experiments.
- The CO(2) method enables longer immobilization periods (1-2 hours) and minimizes photobleaching during fluorescent imaging.
Conclusions:
- The presented microfluidic techniques offer versatile solutions for *C. elegans* immobilization.
- These methods are suitable for various research applications, including cell development and neuronal regeneration studies.
