@article{oai:iwate-u.repo.nii.ac.jp:00009784,
 author = {Wakabayashi, Tokumitsu and Kimura, Yukihiro and Ohba, Yusuke and Adachi, Ryota and Satoh, Yoh-ichi and Shingai, Ryuzo},
 issue = {8},
 journal = {Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - General Subjects},
 month = {Jan},
 note = {Background: How neurons and neuronal circuits transform sensory input into behavior is not well
understood. Because of its well-described, simple nervous system, Caenorhabditis elegans is an ideal model
organism to study this issue. Transformation of sensory signals into neural activity is a crucial first step in the
sensory–motor transformation pathway in an animal's nervous system. We examined the properties of
chemosensory ASK neurons of C. elegans during sensory stimulation.
Method: A genetically encoded calcium sensor protein, G-CaMP, was expressed in ASK neurons of C. elegans,
and the intracellular calcium dynamics of the neurons were observed.
Results: After application of the attractants L-lysine or food-related stimuli, the level of calcium in ASK
neurons decreased. In contrast, responses increased upon stimulus removal. Opposite responses were
observed after application and removal of a repellent.
Conclusion: The observed changes in response to external stimuli suggest that the activity of ASK neurons
may impact stimulus-evoked worm behavior. The stimulus-ON/activity-OFF properties of ASK neurons are
similar to those of vertebrate retinal photoreceptors.
General significance: Analysis of sensory–motor transformation pathways based on the activity and structure
of neuronal circuits is an important goal in neurobiology and is practical in C. elegans. Our study provides
insights into the mechanism of such transformation in the animal.},
 pages = {765--769},
 title = {In vivo calcium imaging of OFF-responding ASK chemosensory neurons in C. elegans},
 volume = {1790},
 year = {2009}
}