Caenorhabditis elegans as Animal Models for Biology and Medicine

C. Elegans
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Caenorhabditis elegans, also known as C. elegans, are a transparent, free-living nematode whose approximate length is 1 mm. It is primarily found in temperate soil environments, and the contemporary analysis indicates that this living thing is always carried by gastropods found in different parts of the world. According to Va-Fitsanakis, C. elegans lack circulatory and respiratory systems. Most of them are hermaphrodites, who live with a handful of males which contain specialized tails for mating (Fitsanakis, 2012).
History of Using C. elegans in Biological Research
In 1963, Sydney Brenner was the first to examine C. elegans properly. In 1974, he started studying molecules of C. elegans, and later proposed that this multi-cellular organism had its complete genome sequenced. In the 1940s, the worm was briefly studied by Victor Nigon and Ellsworth Dougherty in their own science laboratory. However, it became known to the world when Sydney Brenner utilized its congenital traits and called it an ideal living thing for lab experiments. Later on, in 1980, John Sulston and his colleagues examined the lineage of 959 cells of a mature hermaphrodite. The genes were first duplicated, and a physical map was developed by John Sulston. In 1998, C. elegans were said to have micro-RNAs.
Characteristics That Make it a Good Animal Model
The most common characteristics of a model organism are developing to maturity at a fast speed, the ability to be manipulated easily, having a sequenced genome and producing a large number of offspring (Tissenbaum, 2014). Amazingly, C. elegans consist of various features or properties that make them suitable fo...