Real Time Observation of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Photo: Specious Reasons / flickr / cc by-nc 

• C. elegans stands for 'Caenorhabditis Elegans'
  • A roundworm, commonly used in research
• Researchers developed device to isolate C. elegans
  • Housing 32 individual compartments, the device is 2cm by 2cm
• Significance of this research tool is it enables:
  • Observing protein cluster formation, associated with:
    • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
      • A progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease
    • Alzheimer's disease
      • A progressive, degenerative disorder
    • Parkinson's disease
      • A chronic and progressive movement disorder
    • Other neurodegenerative diseases
  • Testing the effects of certain drugs
  • Roundworm, immobilization using a temp-sensitive solution
• Published in the journal Molecular Neurodegeneration