Model Celebrity: The Elegant Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Caenorhabditis elegans is a small (up to 1 mm in length), non-parasitic nematode living in soil. Several features of this nematode have contributed to its status as one of the most popular model organisms. The transparent body of C. elegans significantly facilitates microscopic observation of all its 959 somatic cells. One-third of all the nematode's cells are neurons. It is the only organism so far with a complete map of neural connections. The nematode's life cycle is very fast—development from egg to adult takes about 72 hours. Over the next 3 days, a single individual can lay up to 400 eggs, which greatly simplifies the process of obtaining large populations for research purposes. C. elegans was the first multicellular organism to have its entire DNA nucleotide sequence read. The nematode genome contains many genes that have counterparts in humans. Because mutations in many of these genes result in the development of serious diseases in humans, the nematode is used as a model for many diseases.

The meeting will consist of a lecture and a practical part. Participants will be introduced to basic information about nematodes: their structure, life cycle, and physiology. An overview of the main scientific discoveries made using nematodes and the most interesting directions for future research will be presented. During the practical session, participants will learn basic techniques for working with nematodes, conduct observations using fluorescence microscopy, become familiar with the basics of classical (Mendelian) genetics, and learn the genotyping method using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).