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In vivo Neuronal Calcium Imaging in C. elegans
Published on: April 10, 2013
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A protocol for imaging calcium and chloride in C. elegans glia upon touch stimulation
Jesus Fernandez-Abascal1, Laura Bianchi1
1Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
STAR Protocols
|April 25, 2022
Summary
This study details a protocol for imaging calcium and chloride in Caenorhabditis elegans glia responding to nose touch. The method ensures reproducible data for studying glial function in sensory perception.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Glia play a crucial role in the function of sensory receptors, particularly touch receptors.
- Understanding glial responses to mechanical stimuli is key to deciphering sensory processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a detailed protocol for calcium and chloride imaging in Caenorhabditis elegans glia.
- To enable the study of glial responses to nose touch stimulation in a reproducible manner.
Main Methods:
- Development of a protocol for immobilizing C. elegans worms.
- Standardization of nose touch stimulation parameters (poking angle, applied force).
- Detailed procedures for calcium and chloride imaging, data processing, and analysis of glial transients.
Main Results:
- The protocol allows for reproducible imaging of calcium and chloride dynamics in worm glia.
- Key procedural aspects for ensuring data consistency are identified.
Conclusions:
- This protocol provides a robust method for investigating glial function in response to mechanical stimuli.
- The methodology can be adapted for various mechanical stimulations or chemosensory (odorant) stimuli.
