Nile Red Staining of C. elegans: A Method to Visualize Lipid Droplets in Fixed Animals
Published: April 30, 2023
Abstract
Source: Escorcia, W., et al. Quantification of Lipid Abundance and Evaluation of Lipid Distribution in Caenorhabditis elegans by Nile Red and Oil Red O Staining. J. Vis. Exp. (2018).
This video describes a protocol to stain lipids in whole, fixed worms using Nile Red dye. To specifically view the neutral lipids in the core of lipid droplets, image the green emission spectra of the stained C. elegans.
Protocol
This protocol is an excerpt from Escorcia et al, Quantification of Lipid Abundance and Evaluation of Lipid Distribution in Caenorhabditis elegans by Nile Red and Oil Red O Staining, J. Vis. Exp. (2018). 1. Nile Red (NR) Staining of Lipids Preparation of 5 mg/mL NR stock solution In a 500 mL bottle, add 100 mg of NR powder to 200 mL of 100% acetone. Cover the bottle with aluminum foil to avoid any exposure to…
Materials
| Imager.M2m Microscope | Zeiss | n/a | Fluorescence microscope |
| ERC5s camera | Axiocam | n/a | Color-capable |
| MRm camera | Axiocam | n/a | Fluorescence-capable |
| Nile red | Thermo Fisher | N1142 | Lipid Stain |
| Isopropyl Alcohol | BDH | BDH1133-1LP | Fixative solution |
| Centrifuge 5430 | Eppendorf | 5428000015 | Centrifuge |
| Tube Rotator | VWR | 10136-084 | Rotator |
Cite This Article
Nile Red Staining of C. elegans: A Method to Visualize Lipid Droplets in Fixed Animals. J. Vis. Exp. (Pending Publication), e20134, doi: (2023).