Imaging and Quantifying Mitochondrial Morphology in C. elegans During Aging

Mitochondria, important cellular organelles found in most eukaryotic cells, are major sites of energy production through aerobic respiration. Beyond this well-known role as the 'cellular powerhouse,' mitochondria are also involved in many other essential cellular processes, including the regulation of cellular metabolism, proliferation, immune signaling, and hormonal signaling. Deterioration in mitochondrial function during aging or under mitochondrial stress is often characterized by distinct changes in mitochondrial morphology and volume. The nematode C. elegans is an ideal model for studying these changes due to its transparent body and short lifespan, which facilitate live microscopy throughout its lifetime. However, even within the C. elegans field, numerous transgenic constructs and methods for mitochondrial imaging are available, each with its own limitations. Here, single-copy, matrix-localized GFP constructs are presented as a robust and reliable method for imaging mitochondrial morphology in C. elegans. This study specifically focuses on experimentally controllable factors to minimize errors and reduce variability between replicates and across studies when performing mitochondrial imaging during the aging process. Additionally, mitoMAPR is recommended as a robust method to quantify changes in mitochondrial morphology across tissue types during aging.