Glial cells modulate brain development, function, and health across all bilaterian animals, and studies in the past two decades have made rapid strides to uncover the underlying molecular mechanisms of glial functions. The nervous system of the invertebrate genetic model Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) has small cell numbers with invariant lineages, mapped connectome, easy genetic manipulation, and a short lifespan, and the animal is also optically transparent. These characteristics are revealing C. elegans to be a powerful experimental platform for studying glial biology. This chapter discusses studies in C. elegans that add to our understanding of how glia modulate adult neural functions, and thereby animal behaviors, as well as emerging evidence of their roles as autonomous sensory cells. The rapid molecular and cellular advancements in understanding C. elegans glia in recent years underscore the utility of this model in studies of glial biology. We conclude with a perspective on future research avenues for C. elegans glia that may readily contribute molecular mechanistic insights into glial functions in the nervous system.
Keyphrases
- neuropathic pain
- induced apoptosis
- cell cycle arrest
- case control
- genome wide
- healthcare
- resting state
- single cell
- spinal cord injury
- oxidative stress
- gene expression
- mental health
- white matter
- cell death
- signaling pathway
- loop mediated isothermal amplification
- functional connectivity
- high throughput
- cell proliferation
- bone marrow
- risk assessment
- social media
- health promotion