This video introduces a method to isolate and sterilely culture embryonic C. elegans cells in vitro.
Protocol
1. Embryonic Cells Dissociation Conduct the next steps of the procedure under sterile conditions using a laminar flow hood. While animals are gown on bacteria plates, the washes and the treatment with the lysis solution containing bleach should eliminate most if not all the bacteria. Thus using a laminar hood at this point of the procedure prevents new contamination of the egg suspension. Resuspend pelleted eggs in 1 ml of 2 mg/ml chitinase (stock in egg buffer pH 6.5) and transfer …
Representative Results
Figure 1. C. elegans embryos before and after chitinase treatment. (A) Photograph of eggs prior to exposure to chitinase. The arrow points to the transparent and intact eggshell surrounding an embryo. (B) Eggs treated with chitinase for 10 min. The eggshells have been digested and are no longer visible around th…
Materials
REAGENTS
Leibovitz's L-15 Medium (1x) Liquid
Invitrogen
11415-064
Fetal Bovine Serum
Invitrogen
16140-063
Penicillin-streptomycin
Sigma
P4333-100ML
Chitinase from Streptomyces Griseus
Sigma
C6137-25UN
Peanut Lectin
Sigma
L0881-10MG
EQUIPMENT
101-1000 μl Blue Graduated Pipet Tips
USA Scentific
1111-2821
10 ml Sterilized Pipet Individually Wrapped
USA Scentific
1071-0810
Ergonomic Variable Volume (100-1000 μl) Pipettor with tip ejector
VWR International Inc.
89079-974
Portable Pipet Aid, Drummond
VWR International Inc.
53498-103
Transfer Plastic Pipet Sterile
VWR International Inc.
14670-114
15 ml Conical Tube
USA Scentific
1475-1611
Sterile 18 gauge Needles
Becton, Dickinson and Co.
305196
Sterile 10 ml Syringes
Becton, Dickinson and Co.
305482
Plastic Syringe Filters Corning 0,20 μm pore size
Corning
431224
Acrodic 25 mm Syringe filter w/5 μm versapor Membrane
VWR International Inc.
28144-095
60×15 mm Petri Dish Sterile
VWR International Inc.
82050-548
100×15 mm Petri Dish Sterile
VWR International Inc.
82050-912
12 mm Diameter Glass Coverslips
VWR International Inc.
48300-560
Clear Cell Culture Plates 24 Well Flat Bottom w/lid
Enzymatic Digestion and Manual Dissociation: A Method to Prepare C. elegans Embryos for Cell Culture. J. Vis. Exp. (Pending Publication), e20159, doi: (2023).