C. elegans as a tool for in vivo nanoparticle assessment

• Value and main limitations of C. elegans as a model organism in Nanosciences.
• Practical considerations about the use of C. elegans.
• Techniques and key parameters for nanoparticle assessment in C. elegans
• Selected examples of the interaction of nanoparticles and C. elegans

Characterization of the in vivo behavior of nanomaterials aims to optimize their design, to determine their biological effects, and to validate their application. The characteristics of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) advocate this 1 mm long nematode as an ideal living system for the primary screening of engineered nanoparticles in a standard synthetic laboratory. This review describes some practicalities and advantages of working with C. elegans that will be of interest for chemists and materials scientists who would like to enter the “worm” community, anticipates some drawbacks, and offers relevant examples of nanoparticle assessment by using C. elegans.

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