A Review of Microfluidic Platforms for C. elegans Behavioral Analysis and Genetic Screening

Abstract

Caenorhabditis elegans, commonly referred to as C. elegans, is a microscale, freely-living roundworm extensively utilized as a model organism in biological research. Its brief lifespan, see-through body, uncomplicated nervous system, and fully mapped genome render it an appealing candidate for studying neurological and other human ailments. The development of microfluidic chips allows for the observation and manipulation of various physiological aspects of individual C. elegans specimens. This review delves into the significance of C. elegans as a model organism and examines recent advancements in microfluidic chip technology tailored for investigating the organism's bodily systems, such as the nervous, digestive, and olfactory systems, as well as its behavior and chemotaxis. Additionally, it explores the challenges associated with microfluidic chip fabrication and system components required for precise single-worm measurements across a spectrum of experiments, including drug screening, chemotaxis, olfactory responses, and genetic screening to discern the roles of specific genes in behavioral responses. Furthermore, these methodologies have been extended to parasitic nematodes to facilitate anthelmintic drug screening studies.