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Resources » Paper

Andreia Teixeira-Castro et al. (2005) International Worm Meeting "Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model for learning the biochemical basis of axon guidance."

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  • Comments on Andreia Teixeira-Castro et al. (2005) International Worm Meeting "Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model for learning the biochemical basis of axon guidance." (0)

  • Overview

    Status:
    Publication type:
    Meeting_abstract
    WormBase ID:
    WBPaper00025868

    Andreia Teixeira-Castro, Joo Carlos Sousa, Manuel Joo Costa, Perptua Pinto-do-, & Patricia Maciel (2005). Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model for learning the biochemical basis of axon guidance presented in International Worm Meeting. Unpublished information; cite only with author permission.

    Medical students are often fascinated with the nervous system and with organismal impacts of its dynamics and destruction. The study of molecular cues underlying phenomena such as axonal migration, if properly explored, could catch the students motivation and commitment to learn biochemistry. C. elegans is a suitable, low cost, laboratory model to let moderately skilled students explore the consequences of molecular events at the whole organism level. This work reports on the use of C. elegans to introduce 2nd year medical students to the deleterious effects of gene Knockouts upon response of neurons to extracellular biochemical cues. The main goals of this learning activity were for the students to (1) understand at a basic level the mechanisms of axon guidance and (2) propose possible applications for the usage of knowledge on axon guidance molecules in the treatment of medical pathologies. We divided the activity in three moments. First, students performed behavioral assays to detect movement alterations in C. elegans mutants lacking specific axon guidance molecules. At this moment, students were not aware which genes were mutated. Microscopy observation of abnormal axonal migration patterns of dorsal and ventral cord neurons was also performed. For optimal visualization of neurons, these mutants had been crossed with a pan-neuronal GFP expression strain (Unc-119::GFP). Identification of the specific gene mutated in each strain was then provided to students: Unc-6; Unc-5 and Unc-40. The students were asked to relate abnormal patterns in axon migration/nerve formation with the absent molecular components and the phenotype of mutant strains. Analysis and discussion of a review article about extracellular guidance cues allowed students to further acquire background and consolidate knowledge on this topic (Dynamic regulation of axon guidance. Yu T.W. and Bargmann C.I.; 2001; Nature Neuroscience 4:1169-1176). Finally, students proposed some clinical applications of the recent knowledge concerning the molecular guidance cues and their role in neuronal migration.

    Affiliation:
    - ICVS/Health Sci Sch, Univ Minho, Braga, Portugal


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