Table 1.

Caenorhabditis elegans glia, associated neurons, and behaviors affected by respective glia–neuron interactions

Organ	Glia	Associated neuron(s)	Number of sensilla	Documented functions of glia-neuron interactions	Animal behavior regulated by glia-neuron interactions
Sensilla glia
Amphid	AMso, AMsh	Contact AMsh only: AFD, AWA, AWB, AWC AMsh-AMso Channel neurons: ASE, ASG, ASH, ASI, ASK, ASJ, ADF, ADL	2 (L/R)	AMsh: NRE shape and plasticity, glial compartment, dendrite outgrowth, ion regulation, engulfment, interaction with epithelia AMso: adult neurogenesis	Olfaction, gustation, tactile sensation, thermosensation
Phasmid	PHsh, PHsol, PHso2	PHA, PHB, PHC Contact PHso only: PQR	2 (L/R)	PHso: adult neurogenesis	n.d.
Anterior deirid	ADEsh, ADEso	ADE	2 (L/R)	n.d.	n.d.
Posterior deirid	PDEsh, PDEso	PDE	2 (L/R)	n.d.	n.d.
Inner labial	ILsh,ILso	IL1, IL2 Contact ILso only: BAG, URX, FLP	6 (L/R, D/V/L)	IL/OL nerve outgrowth, neuropil placement	Mechanosensation
Outer labial	OL(Q/L)sh, OL(Q/L)so	OLQ or OLL	6 (L/R, D/V/L)	n.d.	Mechanosensation
Cephalic	CEPsh, CEPso	CEP (±CEM in males)	4 (D/V, L/R)	CEPso: aECM pore formation	n.d.
Hook	HOsh, HOso	HOA, HOB	1	n.d.	Male mating
Ray	R(N)st	R(N)A, R(N)B	18 (L/R), (N) = 1–9	n.d.	Male mating
Postcloacal	PCsh, PCso	PCA PCsh only: PCB, PCC	2 (L/R)	n.d.	Male mating
Spicules	SPsh syncytium (two cells), SPso syncytium (four cells)	SPD, SPV	2 (L/R)	NRE development. SPso: extrasynaptic source of dopamine	Male mating
Neuropil glia
Neuropil	CEPsh	Many neuropil axons	4 (D/V, L/R)	Neuropil assembly, AIY synapse positioning, neurotransmitter clearance	Locomotion during sleep, repetitive behavior, swimming-induced paralysis
Mesodermal-lineage glia
Mesodermal	GLR	RME, others (?)	6 (D/V/L, L/R)	RME axon specification	Locomotion

Reproduced from Singhvi and Shaham 2019 with permission from the author.