Microscope images + Diagrams + Photos + Slideshow
Scanning electron microscope image of C. elegans mouth
This is the mouth of a C. elegans
captured with scanning electron microscopy. The magnification is 3,000X. Click to enlarge (~ 500K). Image by Jay Campbell, Laboratory for Optical and Computational Instrumentation.
Transmission electron microscope image of C. elegans embryo
This is a C. elegans embryo (surrounded by other embryos) at the 2-cell stage (the two big gray spots are its two nuclei). The magnification is about 5,000X. Click to enlarge (~ 900K). Image by Jay Campbell, Laboratory for Optical and Computational Instrumentation.
C. elegans with cell types color-coded
- Yellow – hypodermis, neurons, muscle, somatic gonads
- Orange – intestine
- Purple – germ line
C. elegans founder cells by type
This was published upon the completion of C. elegans cell lineage (Sulston et al, 1983, P. 90). According to development, the figure runs from top down with different cell types developed from their own mother cells.
C. elegans cell lineage color-coded
A representation that maps all the cell types to color. The colors of the cell types in this image match the worm image shown above.
Embryonic development DIC
DIC (Differential Interference Contrast/Normaski) images of a C. elegans‘ embryonic development from the first cell division to a 2-fold stage embryo. Courtesy of the C. elegans Worm Art Show.
C. elegans and C. briggsae
C. elegans and C. briggsae. These worms are closely related, and both used for research. Image from Wormbase.
Distal Tip Cell
Distal tip cell, the lower right irregular shaped cell, is a single somatic cell located to the tip of a C. elegans gonad. As a result, a hermaphrodite has total 2 distal tip cells, one on each end of the gonad. The cells adjacent to the distal tip cell in this image are germ cells. Please see the Kimble Lab website for more information. Distal Tip Cell by David Greenstein.
C. elegans germline
Isolated C. elegans gonad with the nuclei labeled. The distal tip cell would be located to the right most of the image. From the distal tip cell end to oocytes, there are germ cells in various states of maturation. Image courtesy of the Schedl Lab.
Random Worm Term
that is represented by the mature mRNA product. (Genes V, p.1241)