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Comparing Caenorhabditis elegans gentle and harsh touch response behavior using a multiplexed hydraulic microfluidic device
Integrative Biology ( IF 2.5 ) Pub Date : 2017-09-05 00:00:00 , DOI: 10.1039/c7ib00120g
Patrick D. McClanahan 1 , Joyce H. Xu 1 , Christopher Fang-Yen 1
Affiliation  

The roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans is an important model system for understanding the genetics and physiology of touch. Classical assays for C. elegans touch, which involve manually touching the animal with a probe and observing its response, are limited by their low throughput and qualitative nature. We developed a microfluidic device in which several dozen animals are subject to spatially localized mechanical stimuli with variable amplitude. The device contains 64 sinusoidal channels through which worms crawl, and hydraulic valves that deliver touch stimuli to the worms. We used this assay to characterize the behavioral responses to gentle touch stimuli and the less well studied harsh (nociceptive) touch stimuli. First, we measured the relative response thresholds of gentle and harsh touch. Next, we quantified differences in the receptive fields between wild type worms and a mutant with non-functioning posterior touch receptor neurons. We showed that under gentle touch the receptive field of the anterior touch receptor neurons extends into the posterior half of the body. Finally, we found that the behavioral response to gentle touch does not depend on the locomotion of the animal immediately prior to the stimulus, but does depend on the location of the previous touch. Responses to harsh touch, on the other hand, did not depend on either previous velocity or stimulus location. Differences in gentle and harsh touch response characteristics may reflect the different innervation of the respective mechanosensory cells. Our assay will facilitate studies of mechanosensation, sensory adaptation, and nociception.

中文翻译:

使用多路液压微流控装置比较秀丽隐杆线虫的轻度和苛刻触觉响应行为

蛔虫秀丽隐杆线虫是理解遗传学和触摸生理学的重要模型系统。秀丽隐杆线虫的经典测定触摸涉及用探针手动触摸动物并观察其反应,但这种方法的局限性在于它们的低通量和定性性质。我们开发了一种微流体装置,其中数十只动物受到可变幅度的空间局部机械刺激。该设备包含蠕虫爬行的64个正弦通道,以及为蠕虫提供触摸刺激的液压阀。我们使用这种测定法来表征对轻度触摸刺激和研究较少的刺激性(伤害性)触摸刺激的行为响应。首先,我们测量了轻柔和粗糙的触摸的相对响应阈值。接下来,我们量化了野生型蠕虫与具有非功能性后触摸受体神经元的突变体之间的感受野的差异。我们表明,在轻柔的触摸下,前触摸感受器神经元的感受野会延伸到身体的后半部。最后,我们发现对轻柔触觉的行为反应并不取决于刺激之前动物的运动,而是取决于先前触觉的位置。另一方面,对剧烈触摸的反应并不取决于先前的速度或刺激位置。温和和苛刻的触摸响应特性的差异可能反映了各个机械感觉细胞的不同神经支配。我们的测定将有助于机械感觉,感觉适应和伤害感受的研究。我们发现对轻触的行为反应并不取决于刺激前动物的运动,而是取决于先前触碰的位置。另一方面,对剧烈触摸的反应并不取决于先前的速度或刺激位置。温和和苛刻的触摸响应特性的差异可能反映了各个机械感觉细胞的不同神经支配。我们的测定将有助于机械感觉,感觉适应和伤害感受的研究。我们发现对轻触的行为反应并不取决于刺激前动物的运动,而是取决于先前触碰的位置。另一方面,对剧烈触摸的反应并不取决于先前的速度或刺激位置。温和和苛刻的触摸响应特性的差异可能反映了各个机械感觉细胞的不同神经支配。我们的测定将有助于机械感觉,感觉适应和伤害感受的研究。温和和苛刻的触摸响应特性的差异可能反映了各个机械感觉细胞的不同神经支配。我们的测定将有助于机械感觉,感觉适应和伤害感受的研究。温和和苛刻的触摸响应特性的差异可能反映了各个机械感觉细胞的不同神经支配。我们的测定将有助于机械感觉,感觉适应和伤害感受的研究。
更新日期:2017-10-16
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