Home › Cell Biology › Imaging C. elegans Embryos using an Epifluorescent Microscope and Open Source Software
Cell Biology JoVE (Open Access) Citable · DOI

Imaging C. elegans Embryos using an Epifluorescent Microscope and Open Source Software

DOI: 10.3791/2625-v
What you'll learn
  • ✓ Prepare C. elegans embryos on agar pads for live microscopy
  • ✓ Configure Nomarski DIC optics for 4D developmental imaging
  • ✓ Acquire fluorescence and time-lapse movies using open-source software
  • ✓ Visualize early embryonic cell divisions in real time
Protocol

The C. elegans embryo is a powerful system for studying cell biology and development. We present a protocol for live imaging of C. elegans embryos utilizing DIC optics or fluorescence using readily available epifluorescent microscopes and open-source software.

Difficulty
intermediate
Total time
~1-2 hours per embryo preparation and imaging session
Model organism
Caenorhabditis elegans
Biosafety
BSL-1

Steps

1
Mount C. elegans embryos on agar pads

Prepare worm pads and position live C. elegans embryos on the agar surface for imaging. This immobilizes specimens while maintaining viability for live-cell observation.

▶ 01:10
2
Set up Nomarski DIC optics for 4D imaging

Configure differential interference contrast optics on the epifluorescent microscope and acquire sequential Z-stack image series to generate three-dimensional developmental data over time.

▶ 02:53
3
Acquire GFP fluorescence time-lapse movies

Capture multi-frame fluorescence image sequences of GFP-labeled embryonic structures using open-source microscopy software and standard epifluorescent detection.

▶ 05:56
4
Record early embryonic cell division dynamics

Generate continuous time-lapse movies documenting the morphological changes and cell divisions during early C. elegans development.

▶ 07:17
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