A mouse DRG genetic toolkit reveals morphological and physiological diversity of somatosensory neuron subtypes.
| Publication Type | Academic Article |
| Authors | Qi L, Iskols M, Shi D, Reddy P, Walker C, Lezgiyeva K, Voisin T, Pawlak M, Kuchroo V, Chiu I, Ginty D, Sharma N |
| Journal | Cell |
| Volume | 187 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pagination | 1508-1526.e16 |
| Date Published | 03/04/2024 |
| ISSN | 1097-4172 |
| Keywords | Ganglia, Spinal, Sensory Receptor Cells, Single-Cell Gene Expression Analysis |
| Abstract | Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) somatosensory neurons detect mechanical, thermal, and chemical stimuli acting on the body. Achieving a holistic view of how different DRG neuron subtypes relay neural signals from the periphery to the CNS has been challenging with existing tools. Here, we develop and curate a mouse genetic toolkit that allows for interrogating the properties and functions of distinct cutaneous targeting DRG neuron subtypes. These tools have enabled a broad morphological analysis, which revealed distinct cutaneous axon arborization areas and branching patterns of the transcriptionally distinct DRG neuron subtypes. Moreover, in vivo physiological analysis revealed that each subtype has a distinct threshold and range of responses to mechanical and/or thermal stimuli. These findings support a model in which morphologically and physiologically distinct cutaneous DRG sensory neuron subtypes tile mechanical and thermal stimulus space to collectively encode a wide range of natural stimuli. |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.cell.2024.02.006 |
| PubMed ID | 38442711 |
| PubMed Central ID | PMC10947841 |