C. elegans locomotion: small circuits, complex functions

Mei Zhen; Aravinthan D T Samuel

doi:10.1016/j.conb.2015.03.009

C. elegans locomotion: small circuits, complex functions

Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2015 Aug:33:117-26. doi: 10.1016/j.conb.2015.03.009. Epub 2015 Apr 4.

Authors

Mei Zhen¹, Aravinthan D T Samuel²

Affiliations

¹ Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1X5; Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1A8; Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1A8. Electronic address: zhen@lunenfeld.ca.
² Center for Brain Science, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States. Electronic address: samuel@physics.harvard.edu.

PMID: 25845627
DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2015.03.009

Abstract

With 302 neurons in the adult Caenorhabditis elegans nervous system, it should be possible to build models of complex behaviors spanning sensory input to motor output. The logic of the motor circuit is an essential component of such models. Advances in physiological, anatomical, and neurogenetic analysis are revealing a surprisingly complex signaling network in the worm's small motor circuit. We are progressing towards a systems level dissection of the network of premotor interneurons, motor neurons, and muscle cells that move the animal forward and backward in its environment.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Caenorhabditis elegans / physiology*
Interneurons / physiology
Locomotion / physiology*
Motor Neurons / physiology
Muscles / physiology
Nerve Net / physiology*
Signal Transduction / physiology

Grants and funding

Canadian Institutes of Health Research/Canada