A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

High-resolution live imaging of tardigrade response to anoxia




AuthorsHaapanen-Saaristo, Anna-Mari; Calhim, Sara; Paatero, Ilkka

PublisherElsevier BV

Publishing placeOXFORD

Publication year2025

JournalMicron

Journal name in sourceMicron

Journal acronymMICRON

Article number103847

Volume196-197

Number of pages10

ISSN0968-4328

eISSN1878-4291

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.micron.2025.103847

Web address https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micron.2025.103847

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/498615986


Abstract
Tardigrades are well-known for their ability to tolerate extreme environmental conditions such as heat, drought and lack of oxygen by undergoing cryptobiosis. The molecular responses to stress have been studied in detail, but the physiological and morphogenetic changes during cryptobiosis are less understood. We developed new live high-resolution fluorescence microscopy protocols to visualize the tardigrade response to lack of oxygen-anoxybiosis. High-resolution time-lapse imaging enabled analysis of cellular morphology and tracking of cell movements during anoxybiosis. These analyses revealed considerable changes in morphology, composition and movement of storage cells. Our observations and new imaging protocols can be used to study morphological and cellular response to stress in tardigrades.

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Funding information in the publication
University of Turku (I.P.), BusinessFinland (1718/31/2021), Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research (230066).


Last updated on 2025-26-06 at 08:12