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The C. elegans intestine: organogenesis, digestion, and physiology

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Abstract

The comparatively simple Caenorhabditis elegans intestine fulfills many of the complex functions of the mammalian digestive tract, liver, and fat tissues, while also having roles in pathogen defense, immunity, and longevity. In this review, we describe the structure of the C. elegans gut and how it develops from the embryonic precursor E. We examine what is currently known about how the animal’s microbial diet is moved through the intestinal lumen, and how its enzymatic functions contribute to physiology and metabolism. The underlying gene regulatory networks behind both development and physiology are also described. Finally, we consider recent studies that examine metabolism and digestion and describe emerging areas for future work.

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Acknowledgments

We apologize to the many colleagues whose work we could not cite for space reasons. The light and fluorescence microscopy images in Fig. 1 were provided by Gina Broitman-Maduro.

Funding

Work done in the Maduro lab that was cited here was funded by NSF Grant IOS No. 1258054.

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  1. Graduate Program in Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA

    Ivan Dimov

  2. Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA

    Morris F. Maduro

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Dimov, I., Maduro, M.F. The C. elegans intestine: organogenesis, digestion, and physiology. Cell Tissue Res 377, 383–396 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-019-03036-4

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