Quantifying Oocytes and Embryos in C. elegans

A census of oocytes in the gonad and embryos in the uterus was performed using an established protocol^{58 (link)}. Approximately 30 synchronized L1 larvae prepared by alkaline hypochlorite treatment were pipetted onto either control NGM plates or NGM plates prepared with 2 nM medip#1, as described above. Every 2 h, beginning at 48 h release from post L1 arrest, 25 worms from each condition were examined on a Leica DM5000B compound microscope. The number of oocytes that completely spanned the gonad in both the anterior and posterior arms, as well as the number of fertilized embryos in the uterus, were counted. In addition, the fraction of worms that had ovulated at least once was noted.