Reduced muscle contraction and a relaxed posture during sleep-like Lethargus
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
Sleep is characterized by reduced muscle activity resulting in reduced movement and a typical posture compatible with relaxed muscles. Prior to each molt, C. elegans larvae go through a phase of behavioral quiescence called Lethargus. Lethargus has sleep-like properties, but a specific posture has not yet been described. Do C. elegans larvae relax their muscles during sleep and do they assume a typical posture? We measured worm posture and body wall muscle activity using calcium imaging across the sleep-wake-like cycle. We found that worms were less curved and had less muscle activity during the sleep-like state. We conclude that during Lethargus, muscle activity is reduced, resulting in a relaxed body posture typical for a sleep-like state.
Details
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 12-14 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Worm |
Volume | 1 |
Issue number | 1 |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2012 |
Peer-reviewed | Yes |
External IDs
PubMedCentral | PMC3670164 |
---|---|
ORCID | /0000-0002-7689-8617/work/142236997 |