Review

Suspended animation, diapause and quiescence: Arresting the cell cycle in C. elegans

Volume 11, Issue 9   May 1, 2012
Pages 1672 - 1679
http://dx.doi.org/10.4161/cc.19444
Keywords: C. elegans, L1 diapause, anoxia, cell cycle arrest, hypometabolism, quiescent oocytes, stress, suspended animation
Authors: Pamela A. Padilla and Mary L. Ladage

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Abstract:
Developing organisms require nutrients to support cell division vital for growth and development. An adaptation to stress, used by many organisms, is to reversibly enter an arrested state by reducing energy-requiring processes, such as development and cell division. This “wait it out” approach to survive stress until the environment is conductive for growth and development is used by many metazoans. Much is known about the molecular regulation of cell division, metazoan development and responses to environmental stress. However, how these biological processes intersect is less understood. Here, we review studies conducted in Caenorhabditis elegans that investigate how stresses such as oxygen deprivation (hypoxia and anoxia), exogenous chemicals or starvation affect cellular processes in the embryo, larvae or adult germline. Using C. elegans to identify how stress signals biological arrest can help in our understanding of evolutionary pressures as well as human health-related issues.

Received: December 15, 2011; Accepted: January 22, 2012; Published Online: May 1, 2012

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