Worm Sorting using Sine Wave Channels

This paper looks at a movement-based assay to analyze adaptability in Caenorhabditis elegans locomotion behavior. A series of sinusoidal microchannels of fixed wavelength and varying amplitude, with the width being similar to the body diameter of the organism, are used for this purpose. The worms are allowed to enter the channel from the input and transition towards the output port. In sections that are similar to the worms' undulations, the movement is fast and steady. However, as the channel amplitude changes, the worm has difficulty generating thrust, resulting in slowing down and eventually leading to not moving forward. A set of locomotion parameters are then extracted from the recorded videos to determine the locomotion abilities. This assay is tested on wild-type, as well as two mutant C. elegans. We believe that this passive, movement-based assay can be used to assess differences in locomotion between nematodes.