Figures
Time-lapse of the spermatheca in a nematode worm
This montage shows a time-lapse of the C. elegans spermatheca, the site of sperm storage and fertilization, imaged with the genetically encoded calcium indicator GCaMP. Oocyte entry into the spermatheca stretches the spermathecal cells and initiates a series of calcium waves that sweep across the spermatheca and trigger myosin contractions, which propel the embryo into the uterus. In this image, the calcium oscillations are visible as brightening and dimming of the distal and proximal spermatheca. The authors show that FLN-1/filamin, a mechanically sensitive cytoskeletal protein, and PLC-1, a phospholipase, are key regulators of this process. See Kovacevic et al.
Image Credit: Dr. Erin Cram and Dr. Ismar Kovacevic
Citation: (2013) PLOS Genetics Issue Image | Vol. 9(5) May 2013. PLOS Genet 9(5): ev09.i05. https://doi.org/10.1371/image.pgen.v09.i05
Published: May 30, 2013
Copyright: © 2013 Kovacevic et al.. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
This montage shows a time-lapse of the C. elegans spermatheca, the site of sperm storage and fertilization, imaged with the genetically encoded calcium indicator GCaMP. Oocyte entry into the spermatheca stretches the spermathecal cells and initiates a series of calcium waves that sweep across the spermatheca and trigger myosin contractions, which propel the embryo into the uterus. In this image, the calcium oscillations are visible as brightening and dimming of the distal and proximal spermatheca. The authors show that FLN-1/filamin, a mechanically sensitive cytoskeletal protein, and PLC-1, a phospholipase, are key regulators of this process. See Kovacevic et al.
Image Credit: Dr. Erin Cram and Dr. Ismar Kovacevic