Quantification of planarian behaviors
Quantification of planarian behaviors
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DOI：
10.1111/dgd.12765
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发表时间：
2021-12-28
影响因子：
2.5
通讯作者：
Agata, Kiyokazu
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Inoue, Takeshi;Agata, Kiyokazu
对个体行为的研究有助于揭示调节动物习性和与环境相互作用的过程和机制。重要的是，个体行为是遗传程序、形态发生、生理过程和神经功能的结果；因此，行为分析可以用来检测这些过程中的障碍。纯涡虫属于具有简单中枢神经系统的早期分支双侧生物群。此外，涡虫通过神经系统对环境表现出各种各样的行为反应。涡虫也有显著的再生能力，包括全脑再生。因此，结合涡虫的系统发育位置、行为特性、再生能力和遗传可及性，为了解神经形态发生的解剖学特性、动态生理过程和神经功能的基本机制提供了一个独特的机会。在这里，我们描述了在涡虫中进行简单行为分析的一步一步的协议，目的是帮助研究人员介绍在涡虫中进行行为分析的效用。由于涡虫的条件会影响实验结果和可重复性，本方案从涡虫的维持方法开始。接下来，我们将介绍行为测试以及量化它们的方法，使用最小和成本效益高的设备和材料。最后，我们提出了一种独特的RNAi技术，可以使涡虫大脑中的神经活动有条件地沉默。
Research on individual behaviors can help to reveal the processes and mechanisms that mediate an animal's habits and interactions with the environment. Importantly, individual behaviors arise as outcomes of genetic programs, morphogenesis, physiological processes, and neural functions; thus, behavioral analyses can be used to detect disorders in these processes. Planarians belong to an early branching bilateral group of organisms that possess a simple central nervous system. Furthermore, planarians display various behavioral responses to the environment via their nervous system. Planarians also have remarkable regenerative abilities, including whole-brain regeneration. Therefore, the combination of planarians' phylogenetic position, behavioral properties, regenerative ability, and genetic accessibility provides a unique opportunity to understand the basic mechanisms underlying the anatomical properties of neural morphogenesis and the dynamic physiological processes and neural function. Here, we describe a step-by-step protocol for conducting simple behavioral analyses in planarians with the aim of helping to introduce researchers to the utility of performing behavioral analyses in planarians. Since the conditions of planarians impact experimental results and reproducibility, this protocol begins with a method for maintaining planarians. Next, we introduce the behavioral tests as well as the methods for quantifying them using minimal and cost-effective equipment and materials. Finally, we present a unique RNAi technique that enables conditional silencing of neural activity in the brain of planarians.