Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2026
Measuring the Effects of Bacteria and Chemicals on the Intestinal Permeability of Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: December 3, 2019
Protocol for monitoring intestinal plasma membrane integrity breached by bacterial pore-forming toxin in
Hui-Chen Hsieh1, Tzu-Hsuan Chiu1, Chang-Shi Chen1
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Abstract:
Plasma membrane integrity (PMI) safeguards cellular homeostasis but can be disrupted by bacterial pore-forming toxins (PFTs), necessitating complete pore repair for host survival. Here, we present an in vivo protocol for monitoring apical plasma membrane perforation and its restoration in intestinal epithelial cells of C. elegans following intoxication with the PFT Cry5B. We describe steps for utilizing membrane-impermeable dyes, such as propidium iodide (PI), as a functional readout to assess PMI and quantitatively evaluate pore-repair capacity in C. elegans. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Hsieh, HC et al.1.
