Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA.
Cell Rep. 2023 Feb 28;42(2):112087. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112087. Epub 2023 Feb 9.
Mechanosensory neurons that innervate the tongue provide essential information to guide feeding, speech, and social grooming. We use in vivo calcium imaging of mouse trigeminal ganglion neurons to identify functional groups of mechanosensory neurons innervating the anterior tongue. These sensory neurons respond to thermal and mechanical stimulation. Analysis of neuronal activity patterns reveal that most mechanosensory trigeminal neurons are tuned to detect moving stimuli across the tongue. Using an unbiased, multilayer hierarchical clustering approach to classify pressure-evoked activity based on temporal response dynamics, we identify five functional classes of mechanosensory neurons with distinct force-response relations and adaptation profiles. These populations are tuned to detect different features of touch. Molecular markers of functionally distinct clusters are identified by analyzing cluster representation in genetically marked neuronal subsets. Collectively, these studies provide a platform for defining the contributions of functionally distinct mechanosensory neurons to oral behaviors crucial for survival in mammals.
支配舌头的机械感觉神经元为进食、言语和社交梳理提供了重要信息。我们使用活体小鼠三叉神经节神经元钙成像来鉴定支配舌前的机械感觉神经元的功能群。这些感觉神经元对热和机械刺激有反应。神经元活动模式的分析表明，大多数机械感觉三叉神经神经元对舌上的移动刺激有反应。我们使用无偏、多层次分层聚类方法，根据时间响应动力学对压力诱发的活动进行分类，鉴定出具有不同力反应关系和适应特征的 5 种机械感觉神经元功能类。这些群体对检测触摸的不同特征有反应。通过分析遗传标记神经元亚群中的聚类表示，鉴定出功能不同的聚类的分子标记。总的来说，这些研究为定义功能不同的机械感觉神经元对哺乳动物生存至关重要的口腔行为的贡献提供了一个平台。
