When a worm was exposed to light, Sando saw one day in early 2014, that suction reversed course– jetting liquid out of the worms small, transparent throat. By taping numerous hundred worms and thoroughly sorting through numerous hours of video, Sando and his colleagues exposed that individual muscle cells in the C. elegans mouth are able to carry out 2 jobs at the same time by contracting in different patterns at different ends of the cell. Usually, when a worm eats, three muscle cells within the pharynx agreement and unwind rapidly to move food into the body.
When a worm was exposed to light, Sando saw one day in early 2014, that suction reversed course– jetting liquid out of the worms tiny, transparent throat.– Steve Sando, MITThat was the first of many worm spits that Sando would see under a microscopic lense over the next 8 or so years. By taping a number of hundred worms and thoroughly sorting through many hours of footage, Sando and his coworkers exposed that specific muscle cells in the C. elegans mouth are able to bring out 2 tasks simultaneously by contracting in various patterns at various ends of the cell. They then spent years evaluating videos of somewhat squished worms spitting in sluggish movement to try to pinpoint the precise muscle motions behind this habits. Typically, when a worm consumes, three muscle cells within the pharynx agreement and relax quickly to propel food into the body.