Femtosecond laser nanoaxotomy lab-on-a-chip for in vivo nerve regeneration studies
Nature Methods
A microfluidic chip to immobilize the small worm C. elegans and perform laser nanosurgery to sever individual nerves and study their regeneration is reported in a study published online in Nature Methods this week.
C. elegans is a genetically tractable, transparent and easy to maintain model organism for laboratory study. Its basic nervous system and simple movement behaviors make it an ideal model for studying the fine function of the nervous system. Its high mobility however, is a challenge for microscopic manipulation and observation.
Ben-Yakar and colleagues designed a microfluidic chip with two compartments separated by a pressure deformable membrane that holds a worm perfectly still during surgery and imaging. The worm can be released to a holding compartment and recaptured at will. This meant that the authors could successfully cut individual nerves and imaged the regeneration.
To date researchers have used chemical anesthetics, cold or embedding in gelatinous substance to immobilize worms, but this is time consuming and may alter biological functions. There have been attempts at using microfluidic devices to study worms, but none have immobilized them well enough to perform laser nanosurgery.
Author contact:
Adela Ben-Yaker (University of Texas, Texas, USA)
Tel: +1 512 475 9280; E-mail: ben-yakar@mail.utexas.edu
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