C. elegans - C. elegans as a Model System

http://avery.rutgers.edu/WSSP/StudentScholars/project/introduction/worms.html

Basic Hermaphrodite Anatomy



C. elegans exists either as a hermaphrodite or a male. The predominant sexual form of C. elegans is the hermaphrodite — this animal produces both sperm and eggs. Thus, it can self-fertilize. When it does, each animal produces about 300 progeny. The standard lab strain of C. elegans has beem propagated by self-fertilization for many generations. Self-fertilization leads to homozygosity of alleles; therefore, individual worms are considered to be genetically identical (as long as mutations have not occurred).

reproduction system