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How to get physiologically relevant data with students using <i>Lumbriculus variegatus</i>
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Laura F. Corns ,
James L. Rouse ,
Nicholas S. Freestone
Advances in Physiology Education, Volume: 49, Issue: 4, Pages: 934 - 942
Swansea University Author:
Aidan Seeley
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DOI (Published version): 10.1152/advan.00084.2025
Abstract
The decline of in vivo teaching in higher education has resulted in graduates lacking essential experimental skills. To address this gap, we present an easy and cost-effective practical class using the emerging invertebrate model organism Lumbriculus variegatus as an additional in vivo model for edu...
| Published in: | Advances in Physiology Education |
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| ISSN: | 1043-4046 1522-1229 |
| Published: |
American Physiological Society
2025
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| Online Access: |
Check full text
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa70318 |
| Abstract: |
The decline of in vivo teaching in higher education has resulted in graduates lacking essential experimental skills. To address this gap, we present an easy and cost-effective practical class using the emerging invertebrate model organism Lumbriculus variegatus as an additional in vivo model for education. This practical class enables students to observe the effects of pharmacologically active compounds on the stereotypical behaviors of body reversal and helical swimming in L. variegatus through tactile stimulation. During this class, students will conduct drug dilution calculations, administer test compounds, and conduct an in vivo behavioral experiment. Results from this class demonstrate drug effects in vivo and enable students to observe reversible or irreversible behavioral effects, depending on the compound tested. This class demonstrates L. variegatus as a model for hands-on in vivo teaching, providing students with critical laboratory experience without the need for vertebrate or higher-order mammal models. Furthermore, the approach outlined here is scalable and an adaptable teaching methodology that enhances student engagement with in vivo teaching without costly equipment or complex animal husbandry. |
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| Keywords: |
Lumbriculus variegatus; partial replacement; 3Rs; undergraduate experiments |
| College: |
Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences |
| Funders: |
This work is supported by the British Pharmacological Society’s Education Grant 2019 and 2021. |
| Issue: |
4 |
| Start Page: |
934 |
| End Page: |
942 |