Fig. 2.

Accumulation of masses of nucleic acid in aged, wild-type N2 nematodes. (a) 4 days old. (b) 14 days old. (c) 19 days old. Worms were fixed and stained with DAPI to detect DNA. Note the mitotic nuclei at the distal tips of the gonad at each age (arrows). In the 4-day-old individual, nuclei of the developing embryos are visible. In the 14- and 19-day-old individuals, no embryos are present, and the space is filled with amorphous, tumor-like masses (arrowheads). Masses are defined as brightly staining structures not attributable to nuclei of the adult or embryos. These individuals are representative of 10 individuals of each age studied.