Dataset Information

The functional organization of cutaneous low-threshold mechanosensory neurons.

ABSTRACT: Innocuous touch of the skin is detected by distinct populations of neurons, the low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs), which are classified as A?-, A?-, and C-LTMRs. Here, we report genetic labeling of LTMR subtypes and visualization of their relative patterns of axonal endings in hairy skin and the spinal cord. We found that each of the three major hair follicle types of trunk hairy skin (guard, awl/auchene, and zigzag hairs) is innervated by a unique and invariant combination of LTMRs; thus, each hair follicle type is a functionally distinct mechanosensory end organ. Moreover, the central projections of A?-, A?-, and C-LTMRs that innervate the same or adjacent hair follicles form narrow LTMR columns in the dorsal horn. These findings support a model of mechanosensation in which the activities of A?-, A?-, and C-LTMRs are integrated within dorsal horn LTMR columns and processed into outputs that underlie the perception of myriad touch sensations.

SUBMITTER: Li L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3262167 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

The functional organization of cutaneous low-threshold mechanosensory neurons.

Li Lishi L Rutlin Michael M Abraira Victoria E VE Cassidy Colleen C Kus Laura L Gong Shiaoching S Jankowski Michael P MP Luo Wenqin W Heintz Nathaniel N Koerber H Richard HR Woodbury C Jeffery CJ Ginty David D DD

Cell 20111201 7

Innocuous touch of the skin is detected by distinct populations of neurons, the low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs), which are classified as Aβ-, Aδ-, and C-LTMRs. Here, we report genetic labeling of LTMR subtypes and visualization of their relative patterns of axonal endings in hairy skin and the spinal cord. We found that each of the three major hair follicle types of trunk hairy skin (guard, awl/auchene, and zigzag hairs) is innervated by a unique and invariant combination of LTMRs; thus, ...[more]

PMID: 22196735

Similar Datasets

Project description:The cellular proteins that underlie mechanosensation remain largely enigmatic in mammalian systems. Mechanically sensitive ion channels are thought to distinguish pressure, stretch, and other types of tactile signals in skin. Transient receptor potential canonical 1 (TRPC1) is a candidate mechanically sensitive channel that is expressed in primary afferent sensory neurons. However, its role in the mechanical sensitivity of these neurons is unclear. Here, we investigated TRPC1-dependent responses to both innocuous and noxious mechanical force. Mechanically evoked action potentials in cutaneous myelinated A-fiber and unmyelinated C-fiber neurons were quantified using the ex vivo skin-nerve preparation to record from the saphenous nerve, which terminates in the dorsal hairy skin of the hindpaw. Our data reveal that in TRPC1-deficient mice, mechanically evoked action potentials were decreased by nearly 50% in slowly adapting Aβ-fibers, which largely innervate Merkel cells, and in rapidly adapting Aδ-Down-hair afferent fibers compared with wild-type controls. In contrast, differences were not found in slowly adapting Aδ-mechanoreceptors or unmyelinated C-fibers, which primarily respond to nociceptive stimuli. These results suggest that TRPC1 may be important in the detection of innocuous mechanical force. We concurrently investigated the role of TRPC1 in behavioral responses to mechanical force to the plantar hindpaw skin. For innocuous stimuli, we developed a novel light stroke assay using a "puffed out" cotton swab. Additionally, we used repeated light, presumably innocuous punctate stimuli with a low threshold von Frey filament (0.68 mN). In agreement with our electrophysiological data in light-touch afferents, TRPC1-deficient mice exhibited nearly a 50% decrease in behavioral responses to both the light-stroke and light punctate mechanical assays when compared with wild-type controls. In contrast, TRPC1-deficient mice exhibited normal paw withdrawal response to more intense mechanical stimuli that are typically considered measures of nociceptive behavior.

Project description:It is well established that sensory afferents innervating muscle are more effective at inducing hyperexcitability within spinal cord circuits compared with skin afferents, which likely contributes to the higher prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain compared with pain of cutaneous origin. However, the mechanisms underlying these differences in central nociceptive signaling remain incompletely understood, as nothing is known about how superficial dorsal horn neurons process sensory input from muscle versus skin at the synaptic level. Using a novel ex vivo spinal cord preparation, here we identify the functional organization of muscle and cutaneous afferent synapses onto immature rat lamina I spino-parabrachial neurons, which serve as a major source of nociceptive transmission to the brain. Stimulation of the gastrocnemius nerve and sural nerve revealed significant convergence of muscle and cutaneous afferent synaptic input onto individual projection neurons. Muscle afferents displayed a higher probability of glutamate release, although short-term synaptic plasticity was similar between the groups. Importantly, muscle afferent synapses exhibited greater relative expression of Ca2+-permeable AMPARs compared with cutaneous inputs. In addition, the prevalence and magnitude of spike timing-dependent long-term potentiation were significantly higher at muscle afferent synapses, where it required Ca2+-permeable AMPAR activation. Collectively, these results provide the first evidence for afferent-specific properties of glutamatergic transmission within the superficial dorsal horn. A larger propensity for activity-dependent strengthening at muscle afferent synapses onto developing spinal projection neurons could contribute to the enhanced ability of these sensory inputs to sensitize central nociceptive networks and thereby evoke persistent pain in children following injury.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The neurobiological mechanisms underlying the high prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain remain poorly understood, in part because little is known about why sensory neurons innervating muscle appear more capable of sensitizing nociceptive pathways in the CNS compared with skin afferents. The present study identifies, for the first time, the functional properties of muscle and cutaneous afferent synapses onto immature lamina I projection neurons, which convey nociceptive information to the brain. Despite many similarities, an enhanced relative expression of Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptors at muscle afferent synapses drives greater LTP following repetitive stimulation. A preferential ability of the dorsal horn synaptic network to amplify nociceptive input arising from muscle is predicted to favor the generation of musculoskeletal pain following injury.

Dataset Information

The functional organization of cutaneous low-threshold mechanosensory neurons.

Publications

The functional organization of cutaneous low-threshold mechanosensory neurons.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets