Neuronal activity often leads to alterations in gene expression and cellular architecture. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, owing to its compact translucent nervous system, is a powerful system in which to study conserved aspects of the development and plasticity of neuronal morphology. Here we focus on one pair of sensory neurons, termed URX, which the worm uses to sense and avoid high levels of environmental oxygen. Previous studies have reported that the URX neuron pair has variable branched endings at its dendritic sensory tip. By controlling oxygen levels and analyzing mutants, we found that these microtubule-rich branched endings grow over time as a consequence of neuronal activity in adulthood. We also find that the growth of these branches correlates with an increase in cellular sensitivity to particular ranges of oxygen that is observable in the behavior of older worms. Given the strengths of C. elegans as a model organism, URX may serve as a potent system for uncovering genes and mechanisms involved in activity-dependent morphological changes in neurons and possible adaptive changes in the aging nervous system.

中文翻译：

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长期活动驱动线虫感觉神经元的树突分支细化。

神经元活动通常会导致基因表达和细胞结构的改变。线虫秀丽隐杆线虫由于其紧凑的半透明神经系统，是研究神经元形态发育和可塑性的保守方面的强大系统。在这里，我们关注一对称为 URX 的感觉神经元，蠕虫用它来感知和避免高水平的环境氧气。先前的研究报告称，URX 神经元对在其树突感觉尖端具有可变的分支末端。通过控制氧气水平和分析突变体，我们发现这些富含微管的分支末端随着时间的推移而增长，这是成年期神经元活动的结果。我们还发现，这些分支的生长与细胞对特定氧气范围的敏感性增加有关，这在较老的蠕虫的行为中是可观察到的。鉴于秀丽隐杆线虫作为模式生物的优势，URX 可以作为一个有效的系统来揭示参与神经元活动依赖性形态变化和衰老神经系统可能的适应性变化的基因和机制。