Figure 6 .

Quantification of age-related changes in the proximal germline of hermaphrodites. Wild-type (WT) hermaphrodites were self fertilized (self) or mated to males (mated), and am117 mutant hermaphrodites were self-fertilized. Ages of adult hermaphrodites raised at 20° are shown in days: the L4 stage is day 1. (A and B) Average number per gonad arm of large oocytes located between the reflex in the gonad arm and the spermatheca. Compared to WT self, WT mated was significantly different on days 4–7, 9, and 11, and am117 self was significantly different on days 2, 4, 5, and 8–12 (*P ≤ 0.05; N = 10–68, 17–64, and 12–68 gonad arms for WT self, WT mated, and am117 self, respectively). (C and D) Average number per gonad arm of unfertilized and fertilized eggs located between the spermatheca and the vulva. Compared to WT self, WT mated was significantly different on days 4–8, and am117 self was significantly different on days 2, 8, and 10–12 (*P ≤ 0.05; N = 10–64, 24–68, and 12–69 gonad arms for WT self, WT mated, and am117 self, respectively). (E and F) Percentage of gonad arms with one or more masses between the spermatheca and the vulva. Compared to WT self, WT mated was significantly different on day 5, and am117 self was significantly different on days 5, 9, and 10 (*P ≤ 0.05, see Table 5).