抄録
The non-parasitic nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is a widely used model organism because C. elegans is easily cultivated, has elucidated fully sequenced genome, and is extensively available as the research tool such as transgenic and mutant strains. Despite its simplicity, C. elegans exhibits tissue structures, including the digestive tract, muscles, and nervous systems, that are analogous to those of higher animals like humans and mice. Intestinal cells in C. elegans show apical-basolateral polarity and are connected by epithelial cell junctions. This feature enables C. elegans to become a suitable model for studying interactions between dietary factors and intestinal cells. Many prebiotics and probiotics perform their function for intestinal health in C. elegans observed in higher animals. This paper provides a detailed overview of recent findings on the functional evaluation of food components, particularly prebiotics and probiotics, using C. elegans , including insights from our own research. Additionally, we introduce a novel method that we developed for assessing intestinal permeability in C. elegans , highlighting its potential as a tool for functional food research. This approach provides insights into the mechanisms of dietary factors and their implications for human health.
