Question

Scientists learned that cell death is a normal and even important part of life by studying the development of the nematode worm C. elegans. What was the most important feature of C. elegans for the study of programmed cell death?

(a) The nematode is smaller and simpler than the fruit fly.
(b) 70% of C. elegans genes have homologs in humans.
(c) The developmental pathway of each cell in the adult worm was known.
(d) Its genome was partially sequenced.

Answer 1

The most important feature of C. elegans for the study of programmed cell death is the known developmental pathway of each cell in the adult worm.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most important feature of C. elegans for the study of programmed cell death is (c) the developmental pathway of each cell in the adult worm being known. C. elegans has roughly 1000 somatic cells, and scientists have studied the fate of each of these cells during their development. This means that researchers can observe and monitor the changes that occur in the nematode's cells with ease, making it an ideal organism for studying cellular phenomena such as apoptosis (cell death).