Mouse Grueneberg ganglion neurons share molecular and functional features with C. elegans amphid neurons

The mouse Grueneberg ganglion (GG) is an olfactory subsystem located at the tip of the nose close to the entry of the naris. It comprises neurons that are both sensitive to cold temperature and play an important role in the detection of alarm pheromones (APs). This chemical modality may be essential...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience 2013-12, Vol.7, p.193
Main Authors: Brechbühl, Julien, Moine, Fabian, Broillet, Marie-Christine
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alarm pheromone
Amphid neurons
Behavior
behaviour
Caenorhabditis elegans
Calcium imaging
Chemoreception
Cilia
Cyclic GMP
Glial cells
Grueneberg ganglion
Huddling
Kinases
Morphology
Nematodes
Neuronal-glial interactions
Neurons
Neuroscience
olfactory
Proteins
Sensory neurons
Sensory properties
Temperature effects
Thermotaxis
Worms
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The mouse Grueneberg ganglion (GG) is an olfactory subsystem located at the tip of the nose close to the entry of the naris. It comprises neurons that are both sensitive to cold temperature and play an important role in the detection of alarm pheromones (APs). This chemical modality may be essential for species survival. Interestingly, GG neurons display an atypical mammalian olfactory morphology with neurons bearing deeply invaginated cilia mostly covered by ensheathing glial cells. We had previously noticed their morphological resemblance with the chemosensory amphid neurons found in the anterior region of the head of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). We demonstrate here further molecular and functional similarities. Thus, we found an orthologous expression of molecular signaling elements that was furthermore restricted to similar specific subcellular localizations. Calcium imaging also revealed a ligand selectivity for the methylated thiazole odorants that amphid neurons are known to detect. Cellular responses from GG neurons evoked by chemical or temperature stimuli were also partially cGMP-dependent. In addition, we found that, although behaviors depending on temperature sensing in the mouse, such as huddling and thermotaxis did not implicate the GG, the thermosensitivity modulated the chemosensitivity at the level of single GG neurons. Thus, the striking similarities with the chemosensory amphid neurons of C. elegans conferred to the mouse GG neurons unique multimodal sensory properties.
ISSN:1662-5153
1662-5153
DOI:10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00193