Large scale cultivation of a free-living nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans)

Summary A method is presented for the large scale cultivation of the free-living nematodeCaenorhabditis elegans, using continuous aeration and agitation in glass ware (stirrer flasks) developed for the continuous culture of suspended cells. With this technique, populations up to 10⁹ nematodes may be obtained in a 10 l culture in less than 6 weeks with an inoculum of some 50 worms. Costs can be reduced by using an inexpensive yeast extract, available from the food industry.