instrument to condition planaria

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radhika
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu May 22, 2014 1:35 pm
Occupation: student
Project Question: using planaria see the effects of curcumin on memory curves. To do this project, I want to have an idea about how to condition them for direction, what all materials are required and how to proceed and what are the controlled and variable parameters in experiments.
Project Due Date: October 8th 2014
Project Status: I am just starting

instrument to condition planaria

Post by radhika »

hi Science buddy

I need your guidance as to what type of instrument should I build to condition the planaria using light and electric shock. What are the required material and how to build the instrument in which I can give shock. Any videos, diagrams, will be very helpful. Once I build the instrument, then I am planning to order planaria for my science project as discussed earlier.


Radhika
SciB
Expert
Posts: 2066
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 7:00 am
Occupation: Retired molecular biologist, university researcher and teacher
Project Question: I wish to join Scibuddies to be able to help students achieve the best science project possible and to understand the science behind it.
Project Due Date: n/a
Project Status: Not applicable

Re: instrument to condition planaria

Post by SciB »

Hi Radhika,

I’m glad you are going to do the curcumin project. This plant extract has been in the news a lot lately and I’d like to know if taking a curcumin supplement could help memory.

I’ve never done experiments with planaria so I’m just going by what I read in the literature for methods. Other experts please chime in if you have experience with these critters!

Oh—one thing before I forget—please keep all your posts in ONE thread! It makes it a lot easier for us to follow the discussion if we can easily see what went before.

Now, as to conditioning the planaria, which is the key to the whole experiment, I think the method with the light and electric shock is probably the most often used so I would stick with that.

Here’s one reference I found that describes construction of various prototype conditioning chambers but I think it is too technical and requires tools beyond the reach of most school labs: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... 5269,d.cWc

This reference has a simple lucite training chamber and a 6 V battery with electrodes at either end of a trough and a switch to close the circuit: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... 5269,d.cWc
This paper also has a lot of good background material on planaria that you should find useful.

What is your hypothesis? That curcumin can facilitate learning in healthy worms? Or are you going to try using aspartame to inhibit memory formation and test curcumin to see if it can prevent the memory loss? Why don’t you do both? To me they are equally interesting and important. It would be great if curcumin could both improve learning speed and reduce memory loss.

Good luck constructing your apparatus and when you have more questions please post them all in this same thread.

Sybee
radhika
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu May 22, 2014 1:35 pm
Occupation: student
Project Question: using planaria see the effects of curcumin on memory curves. To do this project, I want to have an idea about how to condition them for direction, what all materials are required and how to proceed and what are the controlled and variable parameters in experiments.
Project Due Date: October 8th 2014
Project Status: I am just starting

Re: instrument to condition planaria

Post by radhika »

hi Science buddy

Thank you for the quick response. If I select the T-maze, should I also condition the planaria in T-maze? To build apparatus shaped as T-maze, what material should I use to make the T-maze (plastic/glass/any other?) and where should I put the electrodes ( I means at which points) for example if I want to train the planaria to go toward right hand of the T (how should I proceed)? Should I put the food on the right hand side in order to lure the planaria toward right side ? and if they try to turn on the left side then give shock ?

I might sound silly but have never done any experiments before with live worms so need help :)

Radhika
SciB
Expert
Posts: 2066
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 7:00 am
Occupation: Retired molecular biologist, university researcher and teacher
Project Question: I wish to join Scibuddies to be able to help students achieve the best science project possible and to understand the science behind it.
Project Due Date: n/a
Project Status: Not applicable

Re: instrument to condition planaria

Post by SciB »

Hi Radhika,

I think you have the set-up figured out pretty well. To answer your questions about the details:

1. Should i do conditioning in T maze? Yes

2. What material should i use to construct it? Lucite is the usual material for building testing chambers. Do you have a picture of a T maze chamber to use as a pattern? I would think it would be sufficient to cut a trough in the shape of a 'T' but i don't know how large it should be. You will have to do some searching online for this information or call someone who has experience with planaria.

3. Where should the electrodes be placed? Here again, i'm only giving my best guess. I would put the positive electrode at the base of the T and the negative electrode in the arm of the T opposite to where you put the food. When the planarian turns the wrong way, you switch on the circuit. I think you will need to add a few milligrams of sodium chloride to the liquid in the chamber so that it conducts electricity.

4. Which side food, which side shock? It doesn't matter as long as they are opposite each other.

Before i forget, there's one thing i want you to pay attention to. The word 'planaria' is PLURAL referring to more than one worm. When you speak of only one worm, the correct word is 'planarian'. It's like the words 'phenomena' [plural] and phenomenon [singular]. In science it is very important to use the terminology correctly.

Working with lucite or plexiglas is not difficult. There are several youtube videos that show how to cut, drill and polish it. I did not see one on cutting a trough however, as you need to do. The only way I can think of to cut a T shape [other experts feel free to add their advice!!] in lucite is to use a router. If someone in your family or among your friends knows how to use a router then ask them for help. Don't try to do it by yourself as this cutting tool operates at high speed and can be dangerous! Wear safety glasses at all times! If you don't want to use a router, you might be able to cut a thin sheet of lucite into pieces and glue them together to make a T-shaped box of the right dimensions. Hardware stores sell lucite sheets and the glue to hold them together.

Let us know what you want to do and we'll try to help you with the details.

Good luck!

Sybee
radhika
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu May 22, 2014 1:35 pm
Occupation: student
Project Question: using planaria see the effects of curcumin on memory curves. To do this project, I want to have an idea about how to condition them for direction, what all materials are required and how to proceed and what are the controlled and variable parameters in experiments.
Project Due Date: October 8th 2014
Project Status: I am just starting

Re: instrument to condition planaria

Post by radhika »

hi Sybee

Thank you so much. Now my step would be to search for materials and get the maze constructed. I would try to see any you tube videos available that uses electrodes drilled into plexiglass.........I think this is something in which I need somebody who can work with tools.

I will definitely ask for more help as you are my mentor.

Radhika
radhika
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu May 22, 2014 1:35 pm
Occupation: student
Project Question: using planaria see the effects of curcumin on memory curves. To do this project, I want to have an idea about how to condition them for direction, what all materials are required and how to proceed and what are the controlled and variable parameters in experiments.
Project Due Date: October 8th 2014
Project Status: I am just starting

Re: instrument to condition planaria

Post by radhika »

hi sybee

before I go hunting for materials, I have read about electrophoresis chamber. Do I want something like that along with gel at bottom, water as buffer on top and again on top of gel and water buffer, a t-shaped maze placed inside that rectangular chamber ? means rectangular base at bottom, inside it there is gel, over the gel there is water buffer, over the buffer a t-shaped maze placed and the electrodes are actually attached to the rectangular base and not directly to T-maze

or

I can directly create T-maze, put electrodes at base of the T and at the end of one arm of the T, finish the circuit, put the water in maze so that planarium can swim inside it while training?

It is really confusing for me. Help in this will very much appreciated as this is the first step.

Waiting for your answer.

Radhika
SciB
Expert
Posts: 2066
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 7:00 am
Occupation: Retired molecular biologist, university researcher and teacher
Project Question: I wish to join Scibuddies to be able to help students achieve the best science project possible and to understand the science behind it.
Project Due Date: n/a
Project Status: Not applicable

Re: instrument to condition planaria

Post by SciB »

Good luck, Radhika. Try to find an experimenter familiar with building scientific gadgets to help you. Many people use lucite for building projects and have the tools to work with it and the knowledge. Visualizing what you need is the first step then make a working drawing with dimensions. You'll have to do some reading in the planaria research area to find out how long to make the trough from start to finish. I know planaria can vary quite a bit in size, but i have no idea how fast they move.

Fortunately you have a lot of time to get your maze built and tested before you have to do the actual experiments. Don't forget to also look for a supplier of curcumin with enhanced water solubility. One that i have heard mentioned in the scientific literature is called BCM-95: http://www.curamin.com/press-releases/4 ... es-bcm-95/

Sybee
SciB
Expert
Posts: 2066
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 7:00 am
Occupation: Retired molecular biologist, university researcher and teacher
Project Question: I wish to join Scibuddies to be able to help students achieve the best science project possible and to understand the science behind it.
Project Due Date: n/a
Project Status: Not applicable

Re: instrument to condition planaria

Post by SciB »

Hi Radhika,

The gel electrophoresis chamber is a good idea since it has the electrodes built in. Are you thinking of making the gel be the T maze? That might actually work as long as the planarian doesn't like to eat agarose gels! That would save you having to construct a lucite T chamber, although really that's not such a big deal to make.

Do you understand how gel electrophoresis is done? If not check out videos on youtube. If you want to make a T maze out of agarose, you would have to first make a T-shaped piece of the right length out of some material. You would then pour the agarose gel with the T piece on the plate and when it hardened you would pull it out to leave a T-shaped slot in the agarose. That's a really cool idea if it works.

The only possible problem i can see with the gel is that it is not permanent. If you refrigerated it after using it, however, you could probably keep it for at least a week. You could always pour a new one.

I'm assuming since you mentioned it that you have an agarose gel electrophoresis unit, or were you planning on building one? If that's the case then you might as well just build a lucite T maze and put wires in it for the electrodes.

Talk to you tomorrow.

Sybee
radhika
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu May 22, 2014 1:35 pm
Occupation: student
Project Question: using planaria see the effects of curcumin on memory curves. To do this project, I want to have an idea about how to condition them for direction, what all materials are required and how to proceed and what are the controlled and variable parameters in experiments.
Project Due Date: October 8th 2014
Project Status: I am just starting

Re: instrument to condition planaria

Post by radhika »

hi Sybee

I have decided to go ahead with plexiglass T-maze with build in electrodes. So hunting begins with materials and to find appropriate tools person.

Will keep in touch with you.

Radhika
SciB
Expert
Posts: 2066
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 7:00 am
Occupation: Retired molecular biologist, university researcher and teacher
Project Question: I wish to join Scibuddies to be able to help students achieve the best science project possible and to understand the science behind it.
Project Due Date: n/a
Project Status: Not applicable

Re: instrument to condition planaria

Post by SciB »

Ok, Radhika. Good luck in your search and remember, if something isn't clear to you or doesn't sound right, always ask a question. If a person can't explain something clearly then THEY probably don't really understand it. Go online and verify everything.

Do you use an electronic notebook? You should be keeping notes and info on everything you do in this project, not just the experimental procedures and data. I like to do this electronically so i can add links, photos and videos, and also so i can easily retrieve the information on any device and send it to someone. There are some free e-notebook apps or you can just create a Word doc with a table of contents as a notebook. In my opinion, keeping complete notes and records is what distinguishes the good scientists from the mediocre ones. In research, something always goes wrong, and if you have notes on everything you did then often you can trace back to the cause.

That's all i wanted to tell you. Good luck and keep us posted!

Sybee
radhika
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu May 22, 2014 1:35 pm
Occupation: student
Project Question: using planaria see the effects of curcumin on memory curves. To do this project, I want to have an idea about how to condition them for direction, what all materials are required and how to proceed and what are the controlled and variable parameters in experiments.
Project Due Date: October 8th 2014
Project Status: I am just starting

Re: instrument to condition planaria

Post by radhika »

hi Sybee

What length and height and deep should be the T-maze that I build because too long or too deep may not be feasible for planaria.

Any input about specific height, length and deepness would be helpful.

Also instead of shock, can I use light and air syringe for conditioning planarium? i.e. light followed by 20 cc air syringe puff of air on head to have opposite response. I got this idea of conditioning from following link.

http://www.okstate.edu/artsci/psych/abramson/plan.html

Please help!!!!

Radhika
SciB
Expert
Posts: 2066
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 7:00 am
Occupation: Retired molecular biologist, university researcher and teacher
Project Question: I wish to join Scibuddies to be able to help students achieve the best science project possible and to understand the science behind it.
Project Due Date: n/a
Project Status: Not applicable

Re: instrument to condition planaria

Post by SciB »

Hi Radhika,
The reference in the link you sent has exactly the information you need about the dimensions of the trough:

Conditioning Tray. A plastic bar and cheese cutting board (manufactured by Arrow Plastics, Elk Grove, IL, part number 00711) makes an excellent low cost conditioning tray. The tray costs about two dollars and is available from most supermarkets. A .8 cm deep by 1.4 cm wide trough lies along the perimeter of the cutting board and serves as the conditioning trough. To prepare the trough use the syringe to fill the trough with 15 cc of spring water. Planarian pond water can also be used (available from Ward's Biology, Rochester, NY, part number 88 W 7010). This produces a depth of approximately 5 mm which is deep enough for the animal to swim yet still react to the airpuff. If the bar and cheese cutting board is not available a plastic butter dish or petri dish will substitute. To administer the habituating stimulus or punishment (e.g., the airpuff) a plastic 20 cc syringe, available at any drug store or biological supply house, is used.

I would try the air-puff method described here first and if that doesn't give the desired conditioning, then you can try the electric shock.

Maybe some of the other experts have used planaria in classroom experiments and can give you more tips on the methods of conditioning and testing.

Sybee
Wcbecca
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2015 7:02 pm
Occupation: Student

Re: instrument to condition planaria

Post by Wcbecca »

Hi Radhika. Were you able to condition the planaria using air puffs only? If so, how many days did it take? How many trials did you do per day? I am trying to condition my planaria using air puffs and light. Please respond quickly. Thank you
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