Methods for skin wounding and assays for wound responses in C. elegans
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Updated: Apr 19, 2026
Methods for Skin Wounding and Assays for Wound Responses in C. elegans
Published on: December 3, 2014
Suhong Xu1, Andrew D Chisholm2
1Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego.
Abstract:
The C. elegans epidermis and cuticle form a simple yet sophisticated skin layer that can repair localized damage resulting from wounding. Studies of wound responses and repair in this model have illuminated our understanding of the cytoskeletal and genomic responses to tissue damage. The two most commonly used methods to wound the C. elegans adult skin are pricks with microinjection needles, and local laser irradiation. Needle wounding locally disrupts the cuticle, epidermis, and associated extracellular matrix, and may also damage internal tissues. Laser irradiation results in more localized damage. Wounding triggers a succession of readily assayed responses including elevated epidermal Ca(2+) (seconds-minutes), formation and closure of an actin-containing ring at the wound site (1-2 hr), elevated transcription of antimicrobial peptide genes (2-24 hr), and scar formation. Essentially all wild type adult animals survive wounding, whereas mutants defective in wound repair or other responses show decreased survival. Detailed protocols for needle and laser wounding, and assays for quantitation and visualization of wound responses and repair processes (Ca dynamics, actin dynamics, antimicrobial peptide induction, and survival) are presented.
Insights
Caenorhabditis elegans skin can repair damage through complex cellular and genomic responses. This study details methods for wounding and analyzing repair processes like calcium signaling and actin ring formation.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- The Caenorhabditis elegans epidermis and cuticle provide a simple yet effective skin barrier.
- Understanding tissue damage and repair in C. elegans offers insights into fundamental biological processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present detailed protocols for wounding C. elegans and assaying wound repair mechanisms.
- To elucidate the cellular and genomic responses to skin damage in a model organism.
Main Methods:
- Wounding adult C. elegans using microinjection needles or laser irradiation.
- Assaying epidermal calcium (Ca2+) dynamics, actin ring formation, and antimicrobial peptide gene transcription.
- Quantifying survival rates in wild-type and mutant animals post-wounding.
Main Results:
- Wounding triggers rapid epidermal Ca2+ elevation, followed by actin ring formation and closure within hours.
- Antimicrobial peptide gene expression increases within 24 hours post-wounding.
- Wild-type C. elegans exhibit high survival rates, while mutants with impaired repair show reduced survival.
Conclusions:
- C. elegans serves as a valuable model for studying the intricate processes of tissue damage and repair.
- The presented methods facilitate detailed analysis of cytoskeletal, genomic, and survival responses to wounding.
