C. Elegans in current research

• Neurodegenerative models.

        C. elegans has been established as an excellent model for the study of neurodegeneration. The organism is simple enough to gain relativly quick results, yet complex enough to serve as an accurate model for disease.

Image of C. elegans. All the neural cells are visible due to a GFP tag. Image source

    This Nematode worm can be engineered to express human proteins associated with neurodegeneration, and it is hoped that commonalities can be found in how neurons respond to stress and the misfolded protein aggregation commonly found in these disorders.

    Developments in this field could possibly find a common mechanism, which could be manipulated to help treat multiple diseases.

Useful Journal articles:
Neurodegenerative disorders: insights from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

A neurodegenerative disease mutation that accelerates the clearance of apoptotic cells.
                                                                                                                   
The work of Dr Guy Caldwell - a rising star in the Nematode worm field - may be of
specific interest here. This link will take you to a fascinating interview he gave about
his life and work, and the potential of Caenorhabditis elegans.
                                                                                                                 

Episode 59 of the Brain Science Podcast

• Axon guidance and formation of the nervous system

        Research into the movement of axons enables us to create a map of the nervous system and allows us to discover how and why nerve cells travel with such accuracy to their correct destinations.

        Previous work with C. elegans has given us an incredible tool due to the entire nervous system having been mapped, and using our detailed knowledge of every cell - from embryonic cells to the adult worm, we can make increasingly detailed discoveries about how our own bodys work.

    Current studies have been focusing on the proteins and signals which attract and/or repel axons to their destination. A recent paper by Maro GS et al has discovered that the Wnt signalling pathway, which also has roles in cell proliferation and cell fate specification, is involved in repelling axons using a beta-catenin dependant pathway.

Following this link will take you to the Journal article:

A β-Catenin-Dependent Wnt Pathway Mediates Anteroposterior Axon Guidance in C. elegans Motor Neurons

Image showing the extending growth cone of the hawkmoth Manduca sexta, the filopodia are stained green with fluorescent phalloidin and the microtubules are stained red with a tubulin antibody. Image source (Wikimedia commons)

    Further studies have expanded on this and linked Wnt signalling to the specific cells required to form the anterior nervous system. This link will take you to the full article:

Wnt-Ror signaling to SIA and SIB neurons directs anterior axon guidance and nerve ring placement in C. elegans

• Research into causes and effects of addiction

        It has been known since 2006 that the C. elegans worm has a similar nicotine withdrawal response to humans and also shows a similar cellular responses to alcohol at similar concentrations to human cells. This enables C. elegans to be used as a useful model for study into how these drugs affect the body at both acute and chronic stage.

        Our complete knowledge of the neural system of the nematode worm enable researchers to detect differences and deviations from normal development and function.

        One team of researchers it may be worth keeping an eye on is 'The Southampton Neuroscience Group'. They use C. elegans for looking into alcohol addiction and how it affects homeostasis at a cellular level. Part of their team is Professor Lindy Holden-Dye, with one of her aims being the 'better understanding of the biology of alcohol dependency.'

Reference: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/warc/research/lindy_holden-dye.html