Table 2.
A comparison of the various automated lifespan machines for C. elegans. NGM, nematode growth medium; FUdR, 5-fluoro-2-deoxyuridine.
| Manual | Wormbot | Automated Lifespan Machines | WorMotel | Microfluidics | LFASS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Culture medium | Liquid or NGM | NGM | Modified version of NGM | NGM | Liquid | See manual, assay in liquid |
| FUdR | Optional | Needed | Needed | Needed | Not needed | Generally needed |
| Throughput | Very low | High (144 wells) | Moderate (16 Petri plates) | High (240 wells) | Low (depends on used chip) | Very high (96- or 384-well plates) |
| Temporal resolution | Very low | High | High | High | High | Very high |
| Individual/population | Both are possible | Population | Population | Individual | Both are possible | Population |
| Equipment cost (excluding labor cost) | Very low | High | Moderate | Very high | Moderate | Moderate |
| Automated data collection and analysis | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends | Yes |