生物谷報(bào)道：研究人員發(fā)明出兩種新設(shè)備，可以幫助他們研究活體線蟲中神經(jīng)細(xì)胞活動(dòng)與行為之間的關(guān)系,，新成果發(fā)表在8月在線出版的《自然—方法學(xué)》期刊上,。
線蟲是一種精微細(xì)小的微生物，它的神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)非常簡(jiǎn)單,，只有302個(gè)神經(jīng)細(xì)胞,。然而，如果不是使用非侵入性方法或以不符合生理規(guī)律的方法將它們固定,，則很難監(jiān)察它們的神經(jīng)細(xì)胞的活動(dòng),。Nikos Chronis和同事發(fā)明了兩種設(shè)備，能夠以不侵入的方式觀察活體線蟲的神經(jīng)活動(dòng),。這套設(shè)備的關(guān)鍵之處是將線蟲捕獲在一個(gè)僅比其身體略大的微小通道中,，線蟲在其中可以適當(dāng)?shù)刈杂苫顒?dòng)，但所受到的限制又足以讓研究人員監(jiān)察其神經(jīng)細(xì)胞活動(dòng),。他們以一種非常特別的受控方式來刺激線蟲,，比如在其鼻尖上放上某種食物，這樣就能記錄在受刺激情況下神經(jīng)細(xì)胞的活動(dòng),。
利用這種設(shè)備,，研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)了與行動(dòng)和感覺相關(guān)的特定神經(jīng)細(xì)胞。在這種設(shè)備的基礎(chǔ)上,，研究人員還可以發(fā)展出更為精制的設(shè)備,，在更嚴(yán)格的受控條件下監(jiān)察生理情況更為復(fù)雜的微小生命體。（援引科學(xué)時(shí)報(bào)）
原始出處:
Published online: 19 August 2007; | doi:10.1038/nmeth1075
Microfluidics for in vivo imaging of neuronal and behavioral activity in Caenorhabditis elegans
Nikos Chronis1, 2, Manuel Zimmer1 & Cornelia I Bargmann1
1 Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021, USA.
2 Present address: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2350 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.
Correspondence should be addressed to Nikos Chronis [email protected]
The nematode C. elegans is an excellent model organism for studying behavior at the neuronal level. Because of the organism's small size, it is challenging to deliver stimuli to C. elegans and monitor neuronal activity in a controlled environment. To address this problem, we developed two microfluidic chips, the 'behavior' chip and the 'olfactory' chip for imaging of neuronal and behavioral responses in C. elegans. We used the behavior chip to correlate the activity of AVA command interneurons with the worm locomotion pattern. We used the olfactory chip to record responses from ASH sensory neurons exposed to high-osmotic-strength stimulus. Observation of neuronal responses in these devices revealed previously unknown properties of AVA and ASH neurons. The use of these chips can be extended to correlate the activity of sensory neurons, interneurons and motor neurons with the worm's behavior.
