Caenorhabditis elegans maintains highly compartmentalized cellular distribution of metals and steep concentration gradients of manganese

PLoS One. 2012;7(2):e32685. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0032685. Epub 2012 Feb 29.

Abstract

Bioinorganic chemistry is critical to cellular function. Homeostasis of manganese (Mn), for example, is essential for life. A lack of methods for direct in situ visualization of Mn and other biological metals within intact multicellular eukaryotes limits our understanding of management of these metals. We provide the first quantitative subcellular visualization of endogenous Mn concentrations (spanning two orders of magnitude) associated with individual cells of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / drug effects
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism*
  • Cation Transport Proteins / chemistry
  • Computational Biology / methods
  • Freeze Drying
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism
  • Manganese / chemistry*
  • Metals / chemistry*
  • Oxygen / chemistry
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods

Substances

  • Cation Transport Proteins
  • Metals
  • Manganese
  • Oxygen