Axon regeneration in C. elegans

•Genetic screening reveals relevant molecules and expands molecular landscape of axon regeneration.•In-depth mechanistic dissection uncovers signaling pathways.•In vivo imaging analyzes subcellular processes in regenerating axons.•Functional conservation underscores the impact of the C. elegans model for axon regeneration.

Single axon transection by laser surgery has made Caenorhabditis elegans a new model for axon regeneration. Multiple conserved molecular signaling modules have been discovered through powerful genetic screening. In vivo imaging with single cell and axon resolution has revealed unprecedented cellular dynamics in regenerating axons. Information from C. elegans has greatly expanded our knowledge of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of axon regeneration.