ExcFIG 1: Schematic of the adult excretory system in C. elegans.

Lateral oblique view.
A. The excretory system consists of the fused pair of gland cells (blue), the excretory (canal) cell (red), the duct cell (brown) and the pore cell (yellow). Somata of all of these cells are located in the head region. The excretory cell is the largest cell in the nematode and is located juxtaposed to the terminal bulb of the pharynx on the ventral side.
B. The excretory cell, the gland cell and the duct cell are all joined at a specialized intercellular junction call the secretory-excretory junction, where glandular secretions and excreted material are passed into the duct to be transported outside. In this view, excretory and duct cell bodies are removed to reveal the junction.

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