The Research on Neuroscience in C. elegans

A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cells of the Nervous System".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 April 2025 | Viewed by 1563

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Life Science, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Republic of Korea
2. Multidisciplinary Genome Institute, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Republic of Korea
Interests: C. elegans; neuronal regeneration and degeneration; neurotoxicity; neurodevelopment

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Guest Editor
1. Department of Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
2. Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
Interests: C. elegans; interaction between neuron and germline; neuronal degeneration; neuronal toxicology; tumorigenesis

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Guest Editor
Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40515, USA
Interests: synapse development; neuromuscular function; epidermal-neuronal signaling; signal transduction pathways

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has long been a model organisms for neuroscience research due to its simple nervous system and genetic tractability. In recent years, advances in technology have allowed researchers to further explore the neural mechanisms underlying behavior in C. elegans, providing new insights into fundamental questions in neuroscience.

This Special Issue brings together a collection of original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that showcase the latest advances in the field of neuroscience using C. elegans. The articles cover a wide range of topics, including synaptic transmission, neural circuitry, behavior, neural development, plasticity, and disease. The studies presented utilize a variety of techniques, including optogenetics, imaging, microfluidics, and genetics, to uncover the intricate workings of the nematode nervous system. In addition to showcasing the latest research findings, this Special Issue also highlights some of the key challenges and future directions for the field of neuroscience in C. elegans.

Overall, this Special Issue provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research on neuroscience in C. elegans. The studies presented highlight the power of this model organism for unraveling the complexities of the nervous system and advancing our understanding of basic neurobiological processes.

We hope that this Special Issue will serve as a valuable resource for researchers interested in using C. elegans to investigate the neural basis of behavior and disease. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Kyung Won Kim
Dr. Myon Hee Lee
Dr. Salvatore J. Cherra, III
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • new technology for neuroscience
  • neurodevelopment
  • synapse development
  • neuromuscular function
  • neurotoxicity
  • neuronal regeneration and degeneration
  • learning and memory
  • transgenerational memory
  • neuronal disorder modeling
  • communication between neuron and non-neuronal tissues
  • drug screening

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 2746 KiB  
Article
Regulator of Lipid Metabolism NHR-49 Mediates Pathogen Avoidance through Precise Control of Neuronal Activity
by Saebom Kwon, Kyu-Sang Park and Kyoung-hye Yoon
Cells 2024, 13(11), 978; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13110978 - 4 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1025
Abstract
Precise control of neuronal activity is crucial for the proper functioning of neurons. How lipid homeostasis contributes to neuronal activity and how much of it is regulated by cells autonomously is unclear. In this study, we discovered that absence of the lipid regulator [...] Read more.
Precise control of neuronal activity is crucial for the proper functioning of neurons. How lipid homeostasis contributes to neuronal activity and how much of it is regulated by cells autonomously is unclear. In this study, we discovered that absence of the lipid regulator nhr-49, a functional ortholog of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) in Caenorhabditis elegans, resulted in defective pathogen avoidance behavior against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA14). Functional NHR-49 was required in the neurons, and more specifically, in a set of oxygen-sensing body cavity neurons, URX, AQR, and PQR. We found that lowering the neuronal activity of the body cavity neurons improved avoidance in nhr-49 mutants. Calcium imaging in URX neurons showed that nhr-49 mutants displayed longer-lasting calcium transients in response to an O2 upshift, suggesting that excess neuronal activity leads to avoidance defects. Cell-specific rescue of NHR-49 in the body cavity neurons was sufficient to improve pathogen avoidance, as well as URX neuron calcium kinetics. Supplementation with oleic acid also improved avoidance behavior and URX calcium kinetics, suggesting that the defective calcium response in the neuron is due to lipid dysfunction. These findings highlight the role of cell-autonomous lipid regulation in neuronal physiology and immune behavior. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Research on Neuroscience in C. elegans)
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