In this episode, we uncover how Caenorhabditis elegans males pick the right mate — by literally feeling for it! Researchers discovered that body stiffness, controlled by special furrow collagens, acts as a key mechanical cue for contact-mediated mate recognition.
We discuss:
How males detect species, sex, and reproductive stage through touch Why body stiffness and surface signals must work together for successful mating Experiments using ruptured worms, chemical treatments, and even 3D-printed bionic worms to test mechanical cues Why mating is not just about scent or sight — it’s about how a partner feels
📖 Based on the research article: “Body stiffness is a mechanical property that facilitates contact-mediated mate recognition in Caenorhabditis elegans” Jen-Wei Weng, Heenam Park, Claire Valotteau, Nathalie Pujol, Paul W. Sternberg & Chun-Hao Chen. Published in Current Biology (2023). 🔗 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.07.020
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