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Ziolkowski LH, Nikolaev YA, Chikamoto A, Oda M, Feketa VV, Monedero-Alonso D, Ardasheva SA, Bae SS, Xu CS, Pang S, Gracheva EO, Bagriantsev SN. Structural and functional dissection of the Pacinian corpuscle reveals an active role of the inner core in touch detection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.24.609509. [PMID: 39253434 PMCID: PMC11383032 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.24.609509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Pacinian corpuscles are rapidly adapting mechanoreceptor end-organs that detect transient touch and high-frequency vibration. In the prevailing model, these properties are determined by the outer core, which acts as a mechanical filter limiting static and low-frequency stimuli from reaching the afferent terminal-the sole site of touch detection in corpuscles. Here, we determine the detailed 3D architecture of corpuscular components and reveal their contribution to touch detection. We show that the outer core is dispensable for rapid adaptation and frequency tuning. Instead, these properties arise from the inner core, composed of gap junction-coupled lamellar Schwann cells (LSCs) surrounding the afferent terminal. By acting as additional touch sensing structures, LSCs potentiate mechanosensitivity of the terminal, which detects touch via fast-inactivating ion channels. We propose a model in which Pacinian corpuscle function is mediated by an interplay between mechanosensitive LSCs and the afferent terminal in the inner core.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke H Ziolkowski
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Yury A Nikolaev
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Akitoshi Chikamoto
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Mai Oda
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Viktor V Feketa
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - David Monedero-Alonso
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Serafima A Ardasheva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Samuel S Bae
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - C Shan Xu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Song Pang
- FIB-SEM Collaboration Core, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Elena O Gracheva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Sviatoslav N Bagriantsev
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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Turecek J, Ginty DD. Coding of self and environment by Pacinian neurons in freely moving animals. Neuron 2024:S0896-6273(24)00530-0. [PMID: 39116877 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Pacinian corpuscle neurons are specialized low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs) that are tuned to detect high-frequency vibration (∼50-2,000 Hz); however, it is unclear how Pacinians and other LTMRs encode mechanical forces encountered during naturalistic behavior. Here, we developed methods to record LTMRs in awake, freely moving mice. We find that Pacinians, but not other LTMRs, encode subtle vibrations of surfaces encountered by the animal, including low-amplitude vibrations initiated over 2 m away. Strikingly, Pacinians are also highly active during a wide variety of natural behaviors, including walking, grooming, digging, and climbing. Pacinians in the hindlimb are sensitive enough to be activated by forelimb- or upper-body-dominant behaviors. Finally, we find that Pacinian LTMRs have diverse tuning and sensitivity. Our findings suggest a Pacinian population code for the representation of vibro-tactile features generated by self-initiated movements and low-amplitude environmental vibrations emanating from distant locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josef Turecek
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - David D Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Amorim AM, Ramada AB, Lopes AC, Lemos J, Ribeiro JC. Balance Control Impairments in Usher Syndrome. Ear Hear 2024:00003446-990000000-00319. [PMID: 39049080 DOI: 10.1097/aud.0000000000001558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To explore postural disability in Usher Syndrome (USH) patients using temporal posturographic analysis to better elucidate sensory compensation strategies of deafblind patients for posture control and correlate the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale with posturographic variables. DESIGN Thirty-four genetically confirmed USH patients (11 USH1, 21 USH2, 2 USH 4) from the Otolaryngology Outpatient Clinic and 35 controls were prospectively studied using both classical and wavelet temporal analysis of center of pressure (CoP) under different visual conditions on static and dynamic platforms. The functional impact of balance was assessed with the ABC scale. Classical data in the spatial domain, Sensorial Organization Test, and frequency analysis of the CoP were analyzed. RESULTS On unstable surfaces, USH1 had greater CoP surface area with eyes open (38.51 ± 68.67) and closed (28.14 ± 31.64) versus controls (3.31 ± 4.60), p < 0.001 and (7.37 ± 7.91), p < 0.001, respectively. On an unstable platform, USH consistently showed increased postural sway, with elevated angular velocity versus controls with eyes open (USH1 [44.94 ± 62.54]; USH2 [55.64 ± 38.61]; controls [13.4 ± 8.57]) (p = 0.003; p < 0.001) and closed (USH1 [60.36 ± 49.85], USH2 [57.62 ± 42.36]; controls [27.31 ± 19.79]) (p = 0.002; p = 0.042). USH visual impairment appears to be the primary factor influencing postural deficits, with a statistically significant difference observed in the visual Sensorial Organization Test ratio for USH1 (80.73 ± 40.07, p = 0.04) and a highly significant difference for USH2 (75.48 ± 31.67, p < 0.001) versus controls (100). In contrast, vestibular (p = 0.08) and somatosensory (p = 0.537) factors did not reach statistical significance. USH exhibited lower visual dependence than controls (30.31 ± 30.08) (USH1 [6 ± 11.46], p = 0.004; USH2 [8 ± 14.15], p = 0.005). The postural instability index, that corresponds to the ratio of spectral power index and canceling time, differentiated USH from controls on unstable surface with eyes open USH1 (3.33 ± 1.85) p < 0.001; USH2 (3.87 ± 1.05) p < 0.002; controls (1.91 ± 0.85) and closed USH1 (3.91 ± 1.65) p = 0.005; USH2 (3.92 ± 1.05) p = 0.045; controls (2.74 ± 1.27), but not USH1 from USH2. The canceling time in the anteroposterior direction in lower zone distinguished USH subtypes on stable surface with optokinetic USH1 (0.88 ± 1.03), USH2 (0.29 ± 0.23), p = 0.026 and on unstable surface with eyes open USH1 (0.56 ± 1.26), USH2 (0.072 ± 0.09), p = 0.036. ABC scale could distinguish between USH patients and controls, but not between USH subtypes and it correlated with CoP surface area on unstable surface with eyes open only in USH1(ρ = 0.714, p = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS USH patients, particularly USH1, exhibited poorer balance control than controls on unstable platform with eyes open and appeared to rely more on proprioceptive information while suppressing visual input. USH2 seems to use different multisensory balance strategies that do not align as well with the ABC scale. The advanced analysis provided insights into sensory compensation strategies in USH subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Margarida Amorim
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Coimbra University Hospital Centre, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Beatriz Ramada
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Coimbra University Hospital Centre, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Cristina Lopes
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Coimbra University Hospital Centre, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Lemos
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Department of Neurology, Coimbra University Hospital Centre, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Carlos Ribeiro
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Coimbra University Hospital Centre, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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Stassart RM, Gomez-Sanchez JA, Lloyd AC. Schwann Cells as Orchestrators of Nerve Repair: Implications for Tissue Regeneration and Pathologies. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2024; 16:a041363. [PMID: 38199866 PMCID: PMC11146315 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Peripheral nerves exist in a stable state in adulthood providing a rapid bidirectional signaling system to control tissue structure and function. However, following injury, peripheral nerves can regenerate much more effectively than those of the central nervous system (CNS). This multicellular process is coordinated by peripheral glia, in particular Schwann cells, which have multiple roles in stimulating and nurturing the regrowth of damaged axons back to their targets. Aside from the repair of damaged nerves themselves, nerve regenerative processes have been linked to the repair of other tissues and de novo innervation appears important in establishing an environment conducive for the development and spread of tumors. In contrast, defects in these processes are linked to neuropathies, aging, and pain. In this review, we focus on the role of peripheral glia, especially Schwann cells, in multiple aspects of nerve regeneration and discuss how these findings may be relevant for pathologies associated with these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth M Stassart
- Paul-Flechsig-Institute of Neuropathology, University Clinic Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Jose A Gomez-Sanchez
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL), Alicante 03010, Spain
- Instituto de Neurociencias CSIC-UMH, Sant Joan de Alicante 03550, Spain
| | - Alison C Lloyd
- UCL Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
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Hastings RL, Valdez G. Origin, identity, and function of terminal Schwann cells. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:432-446. [PMID: 38664109 PMCID: PMC11168889 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
The highly specialized nonmyelinating glial cells present at somatic peripheral nerve endings, known collectively as terminal Schwann cells (TSCs), play critical roles in the development, function and repair of their motor and sensory axon terminals and innervating tissue. Over the past decades, research efforts across various vertebrate species have revealed that while TSCs are a diverse group of cells, they share a number of features among them. In this review, we summarize the state-of-knowledge about each TSC type and explore the opportunities that TSCs provide to treat conditions that afflict peripheral axon terminals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Louis Hastings
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Gregorio Valdez
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Center for Translational Neuroscience, Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, and Center on the Biology of Aging, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
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6
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Al Meklef R, Kacza J, Kremer T, Rein S. Periarticular Proprioception: Analyzing the Three-Dimensional Structure of Corpuscular Mechanosensors in the Dorsal Part of the Scapholunate Ligament. Cells Tissues Organs 2024:1-13. [PMID: 38631298 DOI: 10.1159/000538169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sensory nerve endings transmit mechanical stimuli into afferent neural signals and form the basis of proprioception, giving rise to the self-perception of dynamic stability of joints. We aimed to analyze the three-dimensional structure of periarticular corpuscular sensory nerve endings in a carpal ligament to enhance our understanding of their microstructure. METHODS Two dorsal parts of the scapholunate ligament were excised from two human cadaveric wrist specimens. Consecutive cryosections were stained with immunofluorescence markers protein S100B, neurotrophin receptor p75, protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5), and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole. Three-dimensional images of sensory nerve endings were obtained using confocal laser scanning microscopy, and subsequent analysis was performed using Imaris software. RESULTS Ruffini endings were characterized by a PGP 9.5-positive central axon, with a median diameter of 4.63 μm and a median of 25 cells. The p75-positive capsule had a range in thickness of 0.94 μm and 15.5 μm, consisting of single to three layers of lamellar cells. Ruffini endings were significantly smaller in volume than Pacini corpuscles or Golgi-like endings. The latter contained a median of three intracorpuscular structures. Ruffini endings and Golgi-like endings presented a similar structural composition of their capsule and subscapular space. The central axon of Pacini corpuscles was surrounded by S100-positive cells forming the inner core which was significantly smaller than the outer core, which was immunoreactive for p75 and PGP 9.5. CONCLUSION This study reports new data regarding the intricate outer and intracorpuscular three-dimensional morphology of periarticular sensory nerve endings, including the volume, number of cells, and structural composition. These results may form a basis to differ between normal and pathological morphological changes in periarticular sensory nerve endings in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rami Al Meklef
- Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Burn Unit, Hospital Sankt Georg, Leipzig, Germany
- Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Johannes Kacza
- BioImaging Core Facility, College of Veterinary Medicine, Saxon Incubator for Clinical Translation, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas Kremer
- Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Burn Unit, Hospital Sankt Georg, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Susanne Rein
- Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Burn Unit, Hospital Sankt Georg, Leipzig, Germany
- Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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7
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Qi L, Iskols M, Shi D, Reddy P, Walker C, Lezgiyeva K, Voisin T, Pawlak M, Kuchroo VK, Chiu IM, Ginty DD, Sharma N. A mouse DRG genetic toolkit reveals morphological and physiological diversity of somatosensory neuron subtypes. Cell 2024; 187:1508-1526.e16. [PMID: 38442711 PMCID: PMC10947841 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Qi
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michael Iskols
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David Shi
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Pranav Reddy
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Christopher Walker
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Karina Lezgiyeva
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tiphaine Voisin
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mathias Pawlak
- Gene Lay Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Mass General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Vijay K Kuchroo
- Gene Lay Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Mass General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Isaac M Chiu
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David D Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Nikhil Sharma
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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8
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Chakrabarti S, Klich JD, Khallaf MA, Hulme AJ, Sánchez-Carranza O, Baran ZM, Rossi A, Huang ATL, Pohl T, Fleischer R, Fürst C, Hammes A, Bégay V, Hörnberg H, Finol-Urdaneta RK, Poole K, Dottori M, Lewin GR. Touch sensation requires the mechanically gated ion channel ELKIN1. Science 2024; 383:992-998. [PMID: 38422143 DOI: 10.1126/science.adl0495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Touch perception is enabled by mechanically activated ion channels, the opening of which excites cutaneous sensory endings to initiate sensation. In this study, we identify ELKIN1 as an ion channel likely gated by mechanical force, necessary for normal touch sensitivity in mice. Touch insensitivity in Elkin1-/- mice was caused by a loss of mechanically activated currents (MA currents) in around half of all sensory neurons activated by light touch (low-threshold mechanoreceptors). Reintroduction of Elkin1 into sensory neurons from Elkin1-/- mice restored MA currents. Additionally, small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of ELKIN1 from induced human sensory neurons substantially reduced indentation-induced MA currents, supporting a conserved role for ELKIN1 in human touch. Our data identify ELKIN1 as a core component of touch transduction in mice and potentially in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sampurna Chakrabarti
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation Laboratory, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Jasmin D Klich
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation Laboratory, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Mohammed A Khallaf
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation Laboratory, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut 71516, Egypt
| | - Amy J Hulme
- School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Oscar Sánchez-Carranza
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation Laboratory, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Zuzanna M Baran
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation Laboratory, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
- Molecular and Cellular Basis of Behavior, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Alice Rossi
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation Laboratory, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Angela Tzu-Lun Huang
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation Laboratory, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Tobias Pohl
- Molecular and Cellular Basis of Behavior, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Raluca Fleischer
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation Laboratory, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Carina Fürst
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation Laboratory, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
- Molecular Pathways in Cortical Development, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Annette Hammes
- Molecular Pathways in Cortical Development, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Valérie Bégay
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation Laboratory, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Hanna Hörnberg
- Molecular and Cellular Basis of Behavior, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
- NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Rocio K Finol-Urdaneta
- School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Kate Poole
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Mirella Dottori
- School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Gary R Lewin
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation Laboratory, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
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Núñez-Carpintero I, Rigau M, Bosio M, O'Connor E, Spendiff S, Azuma Y, Topf A, Thompson R, 't Hoen PAC, Chamova T, Tournev I, Guergueltcheva V, Laurie S, Beltran S, Capella-Gutiérrez S, Cirillo D, Lochmüller H, Valencia A. Rare disease research workflow using multilayer networks elucidates the molecular determinants of severity in Congenital Myasthenic Syndromes. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1227. [PMID: 38418480 PMCID: PMC10902324 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45099-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Exploring the molecular basis of disease severity in rare disease scenarios is a challenging task provided the limitations on data availability. Causative genes have been described for Congenital Myasthenic Syndromes (CMS), a group of diverse minority neuromuscular junction (NMJ) disorders; yet a molecular explanation for the phenotypic severity differences remains unclear. Here, we present a workflow to explore the functional relationships between CMS causal genes and altered genes from each patient, based on multilayer network community detection analysis of complementary biomedical information provided by relevant data sources, namely protein-protein interactions, pathways and metabolomics. Our results show that CMS severity can be ascribed to the personalized impairment of extracellular matrix components and postsynaptic modulators of acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clustering. This work showcases how coupling multilayer network analysis with personalized -omics information provides molecular explanations to the varying severity of rare diseases; paving the way for sorting out similar cases in other rare diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iker Núñez-Carpintero
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Plaça Eusebi Güell, 1-3, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Rigau
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Plaça Eusebi Güell, 1-3, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Mattia Bosio
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Plaça Eusebi Güell, 1-3, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
- Coordination Unit Spanish National Bioinformatics Institute (INB/ELIXIR-ES), Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Emily O'Connor
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Sally Spendiff
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Yoshiteru Azuma
- Department of Human Genetics, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
- Department of Pediatrics, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Ana Topf
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
- Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Thompson
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Peter A C 't Hoen
- Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Teodora Chamova
- Department of Neurology, Expert Centre for Hereditary Neurologic and Metabolic Disorders, Alexandrovska University Hospital, Medical University-Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ivailo Tournev
- Department of Neurology, Expert Centre for Hereditary Neurologic and Metabolic Disorders, Alexandrovska University Hospital, Medical University-Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria
- Department of Cognitive Science and Psychology, New Bulgarian University, Sofia, 1618, Bulgaria
| | - Velina Guergueltcheva
- Clinic of Neurology, University Hospital Sofiamed, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Steven Laurie
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG-CRG), Center for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Sergi Beltran
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG-CRG), Center for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salvador Capella-Gutiérrez
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Plaça Eusebi Güell, 1-3, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
- Coordination Unit Spanish National Bioinformatics Institute (INB/ELIXIR-ES), Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Davide Cirillo
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Plaça Eusebi Güell, 1-3, 08034, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Hanns Lochmüller
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG-CRG), Center for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Neuropediatrics and Muscle Disorders, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alfonso Valencia
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Plaça Eusebi Güell, 1-3, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
- Coordination Unit Spanish National Bioinformatics Institute (INB/ELIXIR-ES), Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain
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10
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Desiderio S, Schwaller F, Tartour K, Padmanabhan K, Lewin GR, Carroll P, Marmigere F. Touch receptor end-organ innervation and function require sensory neuron expression of the transcription factor Meis2. eLife 2024; 12:RP89287. [PMID: 38386003 PMCID: PMC10942617 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Touch sensation is primarily encoded by mechanoreceptors, called low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs), with their cell bodies in the dorsal root ganglia. Because of their great diversity in terms of molecular signature, terminal endings morphology, and electrophysiological properties, mirroring the complexity of tactile experience, LTMRs are a model of choice to study the molecular cues differentially controlling neuronal diversification. While the transcriptional codes that define different LTMR subtypes have been extensively studied, the molecular players that participate in their late maturation and in particular in the striking diversity of their end-organ morphological specialization are largely unknown. Here we identified the TALE homeodomain transcription factor Meis2 as a key regulator of LTMRs target-field innervation in mice. Meis2 is specifically expressed in cutaneous LTMRs, and its expression depends on target-derived signals. While LTMRs lacking Meis2 survived and are normally specified, their end-organ innervations, electrophysiological properties, and transcriptome are differentially and markedly affected, resulting in impaired sensory-evoked behavioral responses. These data establish Meis2 as a major transcriptional regulator controlling the orderly formation of sensory neurons innervating peripheral end organs required for light touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Desiderio
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier, University of Montpellier, INSERM U 1298MontpellierFrance
| | - Frederick Schwaller
- Department of Neuroscience, Max‐Delbrück Centre for Molecular MedicineBerlin‐BuchGermany
| | | | | | - Gary R Lewin
- Department of Neuroscience, Max‐Delbrück Centre for Molecular MedicineBerlin‐BuchGermany
| | - Patrick Carroll
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier, University of Montpellier, INSERM U 1298MontpellierFrance
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11
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Logan DR, Hall J, Bianchi L. A helping hand: roles for accessory cells in the sense of touch across species. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1367476. [PMID: 38433863 PMCID: PMC10904576 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1367476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
During touch, mechanical forces are converted into electrochemical signals by tactile organs made of neurons, accessory cells, and their shared extracellular spaces. Accessory cells, including Merkel cells, keratinocytes, lamellar cells, and glia, play an important role in the sensation of touch. In some cases, these cells are intrinsically mechanosensitive; however, other roles include the release of chemical messengers, the chemical modification of spaces that are shared with neurons, and the tuning of neural sensitivity by direct physical contact. Despite great progress in the last decade, the precise roles of these cells in the sense of touch remains unclear. Here we review the known and hypothesized contributions of several accessory cells to touch by incorporating research from multiple organisms including C. elegans, D. melanogaster, mammals, avian models, and plants. Several broad parallels are identified including the regulation of extracellular ions and the release of neuromodulators by accessory cells, as well as the emerging potential physical contact between accessory cells and sensory neurons via tethers. Our broader perspective incorporates the importance of accessory cells to the understanding of human touch and pain, as well as to animal touch and its molecular underpinnings, which are underrepresented among the animal welfare literature. A greater understanding of touch, which must include a role for accessory cells, is also relevant to emergent technical applications including prosthetics, virtual reality, and robotics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Laura Bianchi
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
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12
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Ojeda-Alonso J, Calvo-Enrique L, Paricio-Montesinos R, Kumar R, Zhang MD, Poulet JFA, Ernfors P, Lewin GR. Sensory Schwann cells set perceptual thresholds for touch and selectively regulate mechanical nociception. Nat Commun 2024; 15:898. [PMID: 38320986 PMCID: PMC10847425 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44845-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous work identified nociceptive Schwann cells that can initiate pain. Consistent with the existence of inherently mechanosensitive sensory Schwann cells, we found that in mice, the mechanosensory function of almost all nociceptors, including those signaling fast pain, were dependent on sensory Schwann cells. In polymodal nociceptors, sensory Schwann cells signal mechanical, but not cold or heat pain. Terminal Schwann cells also surround mechanoreceptor nerve-endings within the Meissner's corpuscle and in hair follicle lanceolate endings that both signal vibrotactile touch. Within Meissner´s corpuscles, two molecularly and functionally distinct sensory Schwann cells positive for Sox10 and Sox2 differentially modulate rapidly adapting mechanoreceptor function. Using optogenetics we show that Meissner's corpuscle Schwann cells are necessary for the perception of low threshold vibrotactile stimuli. These results show that sensory Schwann cells within diverse glio-neural mechanosensory end-organs are sensors for mechanical pain as well as necessary for touch perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Ojeda-Alonso
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, 13125, Berlin, Germany
| | - Laura Calvo-Enrique
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Patología, Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ricardo Paricio-Montesinos
- Neural Circuits and Behavior, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, 13125, Berlin, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen e. V. (DZNE), Venusberg-Campus 1/99, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology Washington University School of Medicine, CB 8108, 660 S. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Ming-Dong Zhang
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - James F A Poulet
- Neural Circuits and Behavior, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, 13125, Berlin, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Patrik Ernfors
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Gary R Lewin
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, 13125, Berlin, Germany.
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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13
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Han S, Wang Q, Cheng M, Hu Y, Liu P, Hou W, Liang L. The effects of ush2a gene knockout on vesicle transport in photoreceptors. Gene 2024; 892:147885. [PMID: 37813209 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
USH2A (Usher syndrome type 2A) gene mutations are the predominant cause of Usher syndrome type 2, characterized by sensorineural hearing loss and retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and also significant contributors to non-syndromic RP. To date, there is a lack of definitive therapeutic interventions to mitigate the associated disorders caused by USH2A mutations, and the precise pathogenic mechanisms underlying their onset remain unclear. In the present study, we utilized the ush2a knockout zebrafish model to investigate the pathological mechanisms of RP. In late-stage ush2a-/- zebrafish, the outer segments of rods displayed shortened length and decreased number. Anomalous vesicle accumulation was observed at the junction between the inner and outer segments, accompanied by reduced expression and structural damage of actin filaments in the photoreceptor cells. Furthermore, we discovered that Rab8 expression was downregulated and exhibited aberrant localization in ush2a-/- zebrafish. Additionally, we identified an interaction between USH2A and Rab8. Therefore, the knockout of ush2a may potentially affect vesicle transport through the regulation of Rab8, providing a novel target for maintaining the survival of photoreceptor cells. These findings also contribute to our understanding of the potential molecular pathogenesis underlying RP caused by USH2A gene mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Han
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Qiong Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Meiqi Cheng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Yue Hu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Pei Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Wanle Hou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the First Hospital of Laohekou City, Laohekou 441800, Hubei, China.
| | - Liang Liang
- Department of Ophthalmology, the First Clinical Hospital of China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443003, Hubei, China.
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14
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Niu H, Wei X, Li H, Yin F, Wang W, Seong R, Shin YK, Yao Z, Li Y, Kim E, Kim N. Micropyramid Array Bimodal Electronic Skin for Intelligent Material and Surface Shape Perception Based on Capacitive Sensing. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2305528. [PMID: 38029346 PMCID: PMC10797442 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Developing electronic skins (e-skins) that are comparable to or even beyond human tactile perception holds significant importance in advancing the process of intellectualization. In this context, a machine-learning-motivated micropyramid array bimodal (MAB) e-skin based on capacitive sensing is reported, which enables spatial mapping applications based on bimodal sensing (proximity and pressure) implemented via fringing and iontronic effects, such as contactless measurement of 3D objects and contact recognition of Braille letters. Benefiting from the iontronic effect and single-micropyramid structure, the MAB e-skin in pressure mode yields impressive features: a maximum sensitivity of 655.3 kPa-1 (below 0.5 kPa), a linear sensitivity of 327.9 kPa-1 (0.5-15 kPa), and an ultralow limit of detection of 0.2 Pa. With the assistance of multilayer perceptron and convolutional neural network, the MAB e-skin can accurately perceive 6 materials and 10 surface shapes based on the training and learning using the collected datasets from proximity and pressure modes, thus allowing it to achieve the precise perception of different objects within one proximity-pressure cycle. The development of this MAB e-skin opens a new avenue for robotic skin and the expansion of advanced applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongsen Niu
- RFIC CentreDepartment of Electronics EngineeringNDAC CentreKwangwoon UniversitySeoul01897South Korea
| | - Xiao Wei
- School of Information Science and EngineeringUniversity of JinanJinan250022China
| | - Hao Li
- School of Information Science and EngineeringUniversity of JinanJinan250022China
| | - Feifei Yin
- RFIC CentreDepartment of Electronics EngineeringNDAC CentreKwangwoon UniversitySeoul01897South Korea
| | - Wenxiao Wang
- RFIC CentreDepartment of Electronics EngineeringNDAC CentreKwangwoon UniversitySeoul01897South Korea
| | - Ryun‐Sang Seong
- RFIC CentreDepartment of Electronics EngineeringNDAC CentreKwangwoon UniversitySeoul01897South Korea
| | - Young Kee Shin
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical SciencesSeoul National UniversitySeoul08826South Korea
| | - Zhao Yao
- College of Micro & Nano TechnologyQingdao UniversityQingdao266071China
| | - Yang Li
- School of MicroelectronicsShandong UniversityJinan250101China
| | - Eun‐Seong Kim
- RFIC CentreDepartment of Electronics EngineeringNDAC CentreKwangwoon UniversitySeoul01897South Korea
| | - Nam‐Young Kim
- RFIC CentreDepartment of Electronics EngineeringNDAC CentreKwangwoon UniversitySeoul01897South Korea
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical SciencesSeoul National UniversitySeoul08826South Korea
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15
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Turecek J, Ginty DD. Coding of self and environment by Pacinian neurons in freely moving animals. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.11.557225. [PMID: 37745531 PMCID: PMC10515833 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.11.557225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Pacinian corpuscle neurons are specialized low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs) that are tuned to detect high-frequency vibration (~40-2000 Hz), however it is unclear how Pacinians and other LTMRs encode mechanical forces encountered during naturalistic behavior. Here, we developed methods to record LTMRs in awake, freely moving mice. We find that Pacinians, but not other LTMRs, encode subtle vibrations of surfaces encountered by the animal, including low-amplitude vibrations initiated over two meters away. Strikingly, Pacinians are also highly active during a wide variety of natural behaviors, including walking, grooming, digging, and climbing. Pacinians in the hindlimb are sensitive enough to be activated by forelimb- or upper-body-dominant behaviors. Finally, we find that Pacinian LTMRs have diverse tuning and sensitivity. Our findings suggest a Pacinian population code for the representation of vibro-tactile features generated by self-initiated movements and low-amplitude environmental vibrations emanating from distant locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josef Turecek
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
| | - David D Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
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16
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Handler A, Zhang Q, Pang S, Nguyen TM, Iskols M, Nolan-Tamariz M, Cattel S, Plumb R, Sanchez B, Ashjian K, Shotland A, Brown B, Kabeer M, Turecek J, DeLisle MM, Rankin G, Xiang W, Pavarino EC, Africawala N, Santiago C, Lee WCA, Xu CS, Ginty DD. Three-dimensional reconstructions of mechanosensory end organs suggest a unifying mechanism underlying dynamic, light touch. Neuron 2023; 111:3211-3229.e9. [PMID: 37725982 PMCID: PMC10773061 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Across mammalian skin, structurally complex and diverse mechanosensory end organs respond to mechanical stimuli and enable our perception of dynamic, light touch. How forces act on morphologically dissimilar mechanosensory end organs of the skin to gate the requisite mechanotransduction channel Piezo2 and excite mechanosensory neurons is not understood. Here, we report high-resolution reconstructions of the hair follicle lanceolate complex, Meissner corpuscle, and Pacinian corpuscle and the subcellular distribution of Piezo2 within them. Across all three end organs, Piezo2 is restricted to the sensory axon membrane, including axon protrusions that extend from the axon body. These protrusions, which are numerous and elaborate extensively within the end organs, tether the axon to resident non-neuronal cells via adherens junctions. These findings support a unified model for dynamic touch in which mechanical stimuli stretch hundreds to thousands of axon protrusions across an end organ, opening proximal, axonal Piezo2 channels and exciting the neuron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Handler
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Qiyu Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Song Pang
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Tri M Nguyen
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michael Iskols
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michael Nolan-Tamariz
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Stuart Cattel
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rebecca Plumb
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Brianna Sanchez
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Karyl Ashjian
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Aria Shotland
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Bartianna Brown
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Madiha Kabeer
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Josef Turecek
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michelle M DeLisle
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Genelle Rankin
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Wangchu Xiang
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Elisa C Pavarino
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nusrat Africawala
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Celine Santiago
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Wei-Chung Allen Lee
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - C Shan Xu
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - David D Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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17
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Santiago C, Sharma N, Africawala N, Siegrist J, Handler A, Tasnim A, Anjum R, Turecek J, Lehnert BP, Renauld S, Nolan-Tamariz M, Iskols M, Magee AR, Paradis S, Ginty DD. Activity-dependent development of the body's touch receptors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.23.559109. [PMID: 37790437 PMCID: PMC10542488 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.23.559109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
We report a role for activity in the development of the primary sensory neurons that detect touch. Genetic deletion of Piezo2, the principal mechanosensitive ion channel in somatosensory neurons, caused profound changes in the formation of mechanosensory end organ structures and altered somatosensory neuron central targeting. Single cell RNA sequencing of Piezo2 conditional mutants revealed changes in gene expression in the sensory neurons activated by light mechanical forces, whereas other neuronal classes were less affected. To further test the role of activity in mechanosensory end organ development, we genetically deleted the voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.6 (Scn8a) in somatosensory neurons throughout development and found that Scn8a mutants also have disrupted somatosensory neuron morphologies and altered electrophysiological responses to mechanical stimuli. Together, these findings indicate that mechanically evoked neuronal activity acts early in life to shape the maturation of the mechanosensory end organs that underlie our sense of gentle touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celine Santiago
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Nikhil Sharma
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Nusrat Africawala
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Julianna Siegrist
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Annie Handler
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Aniqa Tasnim
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Rabia Anjum
- Department of Biology and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA
| | - Josef Turecek
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Brendan P. Lehnert
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Sophia Renauld
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Michael Nolan-Tamariz
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Michael Iskols
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Alexandra R. Magee
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Suzanne Paradis
- Department of Biology and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA
| | - David D. Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Lead Contact
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18
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Nikolaev YA, Ziolkowski LH, Pang S, Li WP, Feketa VV, Xu CS, Gracheva EO, Bagriantsev SN. 3D architecture and a bicellular mechanism of touch detection in mechanosensory corpuscle. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi4147. [PMID: 37703368 PMCID: PMC10499330 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi4147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Mechanosensory corpuscles detect transient touch and vibration in the skin of vertebrates, enabling precise sensation of the physical environment. The corpuscle contains a mechanoreceptor afferent surrounded by lamellar cells (LCs), but corpuscular ultrastructure and the role of LCs in touch detection are unknown. We report the three-dimensional architecture of the avian Meissner (Grandry) corpuscle acquired using enhanced focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy and machine learning-based segmentation. The corpuscle comprises a stack of LCs interdigitated with terminal endings from two afferents. Simultaneous electrophysiological recordings from both cell types revealed that mechanosensitive LCs use calcium influx to trigger action potentials in the afferent and thus serve as physiological touch sensors in the skin. The elaborate architecture and bicellular sensory mechanism in the corpuscles, which comprises the afferents and LCs, create the capacity for nuanced encoding of the submodalities of touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yury A. Nikolaev
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Luke H. Ziolkowski
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Song Pang
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Wei-Ping Li
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Viktor V. Feketa
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - C. Shan Xu
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Elena O. Gracheva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Sviatoslav N. Bagriantsev
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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19
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Schaefer I, Verkest C, Vespermann L, Mair T, Voß H, Zeitzschel N, Lechner SG. Protein kinase A mediates modality-specific modulation of the mechanically-gated ion channel PIEZO2. J Biol Chem 2023:104782. [PMID: 37146970 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein kinase A is a downstream effector of many inflammatory mediators that induce pain hypersensitivity by increasing the mechanosensitivity of nociceptive sensory afferent. Here we examine the molecular mechanism underlying protein kinase-A-dependent modulation of the mechanically-activated ion channel PIEZO2, which confers mechanosensitivity to many nociceptors. Using phosphorylation site prediction algorithms, we identified multiple putative and highly conserved PKA phosphorylation sites located on intracellular intrinsically disordered regions of PIEZO2. Site-directed mutagenesis and patch-clamp recordings showed that substitution of one or multiple putative PKA sites within a single intracellular domain does not alter PKA-induced PIEZO2 sensitization, whereas mutation of a combination of nine putative sites located on four different intracellular regions completely abolishes PKA-dependent PIEZO2 modulation, though it remains unclear whether all or just some of these nine sites are required. By demonstrating that PIEZO1 is not modulated by PKA, our data also reveals a previously unrecognized functional difference between PIEZO1 and PIEZO2. Moreover, by demonstrating that PKA only modulates PIEZO2 currents evoked by focal mechanical indentation of the cell, but not currents evoked by pressure-induced membrane stretch, we provide evidence suggesting that PIEZO2 is a polymodal mechanosensor that engages different protein domains for detecting different types of mechanical stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Schaefer
- Institute of Pharmacology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Clement Verkest
- Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lucas Vespermann
- Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Mair
- Section for Mass-Spectrometry and Proteomics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hannah Voß
- Section for Mass-Spectrometry and Proteomics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nadja Zeitzschel
- Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan G Lechner
- Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
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20
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Qi L, Iskols M, Shi D, Reddy P, Walker C, Lezgiyeva K, Voisin T, Pawlak M, Kuchroo VK, Chiu I, Ginty DD, Sharma N. A DRG genetic toolkit reveals molecular, morphological, and functional diversity of somatosensory neuron subtypes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.22.537932. [PMID: 37131664 PMCID: PMC10153270 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.22.537932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical and thermal stimuli acting on the skin are detected by morphologically and physiologically distinct sensory neurons of the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Achieving a holistic view of how this diverse neuronal population relays sensory information from the skin to the central nervous system (CNS) has been challenging with existing tools. Here, we used transcriptomic datasets of the mouse DRG to guide development and curation of a genetic toolkit to interrogate transcriptionally defined DRG neuron subtypes. Morphological analysis revealed unique cutaneous axon arborization areas and branching patterns of each subtype. Physiological analysis showed that subtypes exhibit distinct thresholds and ranges of responses to mechanical and/or thermal stimuli. The somatosensory neuron toolbox thus enables comprehensive phenotyping of most principal sensory neuron subtypes. Moreover, our findings support a population coding scheme in which the activation thresholds of morphologically and physiologically distinct cutaneous DRG neuron subtypes tile multiple dimensions of stimulus space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Qi
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Michael Iskols
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
| | - David Shi
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Pranav Reddy
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Christopher Walker
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Karina Lezgiyeva
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Tiphaine Voisin
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Mathias Pawlak
- Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Vijay K. Kuchroo
- Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Isaac Chiu
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - David D. Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Nikhil Sharma
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY
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21
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Nikolaev YA, Ziolkowski LH, Pang S, Li WP, Feketa VV, Xu CS, Gracheva EO, Bagriantsev SN. 3D architecture and a bi-cellular mechanism of touch detection in mechanosensory corpuscle. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.05.535701. [PMID: 37066170 PMCID: PMC10104047 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.05.535701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Mechanosensory corpuscles detect transient touch and vibratory signals in the skin of vertebrates, enabling navigation, foraging, and precise manipulation of objects 1 . The corpuscle core comprises a terminal neurite of a mechanoreceptor afferent, the only known touch-sensing element within corpuscles, surrounded by terminal Schwann cells called lamellar cells (LCs) 2â€"4 . However, the precise corpuscular ultrastructure, and the role of LCs in touch detection are unknown. Here we used enhanced focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy and electron tomography to reveal the three-dimensional architecture of avian Meissner (Grandry) corpuscle 5 . We show that corpuscles contain a stack of LCs innervated by two afferents, which form large-area contacts with LCs. LCs form tether-like connections with the afferent membrane and contain dense core vesicles which release their content onto the afferent. Furthermore, by performing simultaneous electrophysiological recordings from both cell types, we show that mechanosensitive LCs use calcium influx to trigger action potential firing in the afferent and thus serve as physiological touch sensors in the skin. Our findings suggest a bi-cellular mechanism of touch detection, which comprises the afferent and LCs, likely enables corpuscles to encode the nuances of tactile stimuli.
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22
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Schwann cell functions in peripheral nerve development and repair. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 176:105952. [PMID: 36493976 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The glial cell of the peripheral nervous system (PNS), the Schwann cell (SC), counts among the most multifaceted cells of the body. During development, SCs secure neuronal survival and participate in axonal path finding. Simultaneously, they orchestrate the architectural set up of the developing nerves, including the blood vessels and the endo-, peri- and epineurial layers. Perinatally, in rodents, SCs radially sort and subsequently myelinate individual axons larger than 1 μm in diameter, while small calibre axons become organised in non-myelinating Remak bundles. SCs have a vital role in maintaining axonal health throughout life and several specialized SC types perform essential functions at specific locations, such as terminal SC at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) or SC within cutaneous sensory end organs. In addition, neural crest derived satellite glia maintain a tight communication with the soma of sensory, sympathetic, and parasympathetic neurons and neural crest derivatives are furthermore an indispensable part of the enteric nervous system. The remarkable plasticity of SCs becomes evident in the context of a nerve injury, where SC transdifferentiate into intriguing repair cells, which orchestrate a regenerative response that promotes nerve repair. Indeed, the multiple adaptations of SCs are captivating, but remain often ill-resolved on the molecular level. Here, we summarize and discuss the knowns and unknowns of the vast array of functions that this single cell type can cover in peripheral nervous system development, maintenance, and repair.
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23
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Ziolkowski LH, Gracheva EO, Bagriantsev SN. Mechanotransduction events at the physiological site of touch detection. eLife 2023; 12:84179. [PMID: 36607222 PMCID: PMC9833821 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Afferents of peripheral mechanoreceptors innervate the skin of vertebrates, where they detect physical touch via mechanically gated ion channels (mechanotransducers). While the afferent terminal is generally understood to be the primary site of mechanotransduction, the functional properties of mechanically activated (MA) ionic current generated by mechanotransducers at this location remain obscure. Until now, direct evidence of MA current and mechanically induced action potentials in the mechanoreceptor terminal has not been obtained. Here, we report patch-clamp recordings from the afferent terminal innervating Grandry (Meissner) corpuscles in the bill skin of a tactile specialist duck. We show that mechanical stimulation evokes MA current in the afferent with fast kinetics of activation and inactivation during the dynamic phases of the mechanical stimulus. These responses trigger rapidly adapting firing in the afferent detected at the terminal and in the afferent fiber outside of the corpuscle. Our findings elucidate the initial electrogenic events of touch detection in the mechanoreceptor nerve terminal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke H Ziolkowski
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Elena O Gracheva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States,Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States,Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States,Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Sviatoslav N Bagriantsev
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
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24
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Ojeda-Alonso J, Bégay V, Garcia-Contreras JA, Campos-Pérez AF, Purfürst B, Lewin GR. Lack of evidence for participation of TMEM150C in sensory mechanotransduction. J Gen Physiol 2022; 154:e202213098. [PMID: 36256908 PMCID: PMC9582506 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202213098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The membrane protein TMEM150C has been proposed to form a mechanosensitive ion channel that is required for normal proprioceptor function. Here, we examined whether expression of TMEM150C in neuroblastoma cells lacking Piezo1 is associated with the appearance of mechanosensitive currents. Using three different modes of mechanical stimuli, indentation, membrane stretch, and substrate deflection, we could not evoke mechanosensitive currents in cells expressing TMEM150C. We next asked if TMEM150C is necessary for the normal mechanosensitivity of cutaneous sensory neurons. We used an available mouse model in which the Tmem150c locus was disrupted through the insertion of a LacZ cassette with a splice acceptor that should lead to transcript truncation. Analysis of these mice indicated that ablation of the Tmem150c gene was not complete in sensory neurons of the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Using a CRISPR/Cas9 strategy, we made a second mouse model in which a large part of the Tmem150c gene was deleted and established that these Tmem150c-/- mice completely lack TMEM150C protein in the DRGs. We used an ex vivo skin nerve preparation to characterize the mechanosenstivity of mechanoreceptors and nociceptors in the glabrous skin of the Tmem150c-/- mice. We found no quantitative alterations in the physiological properties of any type of cutaneous sensory fiber in Tmem150c-/- mice. Since it has been claimed that TMEM150C is required for normal proprioceptor function, we made a quantitative analysis of locomotion in Tmem150c-/- mice. Here again, we found no indication that there was altered gait in Tmem150c-/- mice compared to wild-type controls. In summary, we conclude that existing mouse models that have been used to investigate TMEM150C function in vivo are problematic. Furthermore, we could find no evidence that TMEM150C forms a mechanosensitive channel or that it is necessary for the normal mechanosensitivity of cutaneous sensory neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Ojeda-Alonso
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Valérie Bégay
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jonathan Alexis Garcia-Contreras
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrea Fernanda Campos-Pérez
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bettina Purfürst
- Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gary R. Lewin
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
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25
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Advances and recent insights into the gating mechanisms of the mechanically-activated ion channels PIEZO1 and PIEZO2. CURRENT OPINION IN PHYSIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cophys.2022.100625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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26
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Veilleux CC, Dominy NJ, Melin AD. The sensory ecology of primate food perception, revisited. Evol Anthropol 2022; 31:281-301. [PMID: 36519416 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Twenty years ago, Dominy and colleagues published "The sensory ecology of primate food perception," an impactful review that brought new perspectives to understanding primate foraging adaptations. Their review synthesized information on primate senses and explored how senses informed feeding behavior. Research on primate sensory ecology has seen explosive growth in the last two decades. Here, we revisit this important topic, focusing on the numerous new discoveries and lines of innovative research. We begin by reviewing each of the five traditionally recognized senses involved in foraging: audition, olfaction, vision, touch, and taste. For each sense, we provide an overview of sensory function and comparative ecology, comment on the state of knowledge at the time of the original review, and highlight advancements and lingering gaps in knowledge. Next, we provide an outline for creative, multidisciplinary, and innovative future research programs that we anticipate will generate exciting new discoveries in the next two decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie C Veilleux
- Department of Anatomy, Midwestern University, Glendale, Arizona, USA
| | - Nathaniel J Dominy
- Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Amanda D Melin
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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27
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Reed CB, Feltri ML, Wilson ER. Peripheral glia diversity. J Anat 2022; 241:1219-1234. [PMID: 34131911 PMCID: PMC8671569 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent years have seen an evolving appreciation for the role of glial cells in the nervous system. As we move away from the typical neurocentric view of neuroscience, the complexity and variability of central nervous system glia is emerging, far beyond the three main subtypes: astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia. Yet the diversity of the glia found in the peripheral nervous system remains rarely discussed. In this review, we discuss the developmental origin, morphology, and function of the different populations of glia found in the peripheral nervous system, including: myelinating Schwann cells, Remak Schwann cells, repair Schwann cells, satellite glia, boundary cap-derived glia, perineurial glia, terminal Schwann cells, glia found in the skin, olfactory ensheathing cells, and enteric glia. The morphological and functional heterogeneity of glia found in the periphery reflects the diverse roles the nervous system performs throughout the body. Further, it highlights a complexity that should be appreciated and considered when it comes to a complete understanding of the peripheral nervous system in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsey B Reed
- Hunter James Kelly Research Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences State, University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
- Department of Neurology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - M Laura Feltri
- Hunter James Kelly Research Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences State, University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
- Department of Neurology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Emma R Wilson
- Hunter James Kelly Research Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences State, University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
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28
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Su T, Liang L, Zhang L, Wang J, Chen L, Su C, Cao J, Yu Q, Deng S, Chan HF, Tang S, Guo Y, Chen J. Retinal organoids and microfluidic chip-based approaches to explore the retinitis pigmentosa with USH2A mutations. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:939774. [PMID: 36185441 PMCID: PMC9524156 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.939774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a leading cause of vision impairment and blindness worldwide, with limited medical treatment options. USH2A mutations are one of the most common causes of non-syndromic RP. In this study, we developed retinal organoids (ROs) and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of RP patient to establish a sustainable in vitro RP disease model. RT-qPCR, western blot, and immunofluorescent staining assessments showed that USH2A mutations induced apoptosis of iPSCs and ROs, and deficiency of the extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Transcriptomics and proteomics findings suggested that abnormal ECM-receptor interactions could result in apoptosis of ROs with USH2A mutations via the PI3K-Akt pathway. To optimize the culture conditions of ROs, we fabricated a microfluidic chip to co-culture the ROs with RPE cells. Our results showed that this perfusion system could efficiently improve the survival rate of ROs. Further, ECM components such as laminin and collagen IV of ROs in the RP group were upregulated compared with those maintained in static culture. These findings illustrate the potential of microfluidic chip combined with ROs technology in disease modelling for RP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Su
- Department of Ophthalmology, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liying Liang
- Department of Ophthalmology, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lan Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianing Wang
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Luyin Chen
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Caiying Su
- Department of Ophthalmology, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jixing Cao
- Department of Ophthalmology, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Quan Yu
- Centric Laboratory, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuai Deng
- Institute for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education of China, Ministry of Education of China, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hon Fai Chan
- Institute for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education of China, Ministry of Education of China, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Yonglong Guo
- Department of Ophthalmology, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jiansu Chen, ; Yonglong Guo,
| | - Jiansu Chen
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Aier Eye Institute, Changsha, China
- Institute of Ophthalmology, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jiansu Chen, ; Yonglong Guo,
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29
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Niu H, Li H, Gao S, Li Y, Wei X, Chen Y, Yue W, Zhou W, Shen G. Perception-to-Cognition Tactile Sensing Based on Artificial-Intelligence-Motivated Human Full-Skin Bionic Electronic Skin. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2202622. [PMID: 35648867 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202202622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Traditional electronic skin (e-skin), due to the lack of human-brain-like thinking and judging capability, is powerless to accelerate the pace to the intelligent era. Herein, artificial intelligence (AI)-motivated full-skin bionic (FSB) e-skin consisting of the structures of human vellus hair, epidermis-dermis-hypodermis, is proposed. Benefiting from the double interlocked layered microcone structure and supercapacitive iontronic effect, the FSB e-skin exhibits ultrahigh sensitivity of 8053.1 kPa-1 (<1 kPa), linear sensitivity of 3103.5 kPa-1 (1-34 kPa), and fast response/recovery time of <5.6 ms. In addition, it can realize the evolution from tactile perception to advanced intelligent tactile cognition after being equipped with a "brain". First, static/dynamic contactless tactile perception is achieved based on the triboelectric effect of the vellus hair bionics. Second, the supercapacitive iontronic effect based structural bionics of the epidermis-dermis-hypodermis and a five-layer multilayer perception (MLP) enable the general intelligent tactile cognition of gesture cognition and robot interaction. Most importantly, by making full use of the FSB e-skin with a six-layer MLP neural network, an advanced intelligent material cognition system is developed for real-time cognition of the object material species and locations via one contact, which surpasses the capability of humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongsen Niu
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Network Based Intelligent Computing, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China
| | - Hao Li
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Network Based Intelligent Computing, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China
| | - Song Gao
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Network Based Intelligent Computing, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China
| | - Yang Li
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Network Based Intelligent Computing, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China
| | - Xiao Wei
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Network Based Intelligent Computing, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China
| | - Yuke Chen
- Institute for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China
| | - Wenjing Yue
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Network Based Intelligent Computing, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China
| | - Weijia Zhou
- Institute for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China
| | - Guozhen Shen
- School of Integrated Circuits and Electronics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
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30
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Abstract
Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) are essential for the support and myelination of axons, ensuring fast and accurate communication between the central nervous system and the periphery. Schwann cells and related glia accompany innervating axons in virtually all tissues in the body, where they exhibit remarkable plasticity and the ability to modulate pathology in extraordinary, and sometimes surprising, ways. Here, we provide a brief overview of the various glial cell types in the PNS and describe the cornerstone cellular and molecular processes that enable Schwann cells to perform their canonical functions. We then dive into discussing exciting noncanonical functions of Schwann cells and related PNS glia, which include their role in organizing the PNS, in regulating synaptic activity and pain, in modulating immunity, in providing a pool of stem cells for different organs, and, finally, in influencing cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Taveggia
- Axo-Glial Interaction Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy;
| | - M. Laura Feltri
- Institute for Myelin and Glia Exploration, Departments of Biochemistry and Neurology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
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31
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Young M, Lewis AH, Grandl J. Physics of mechanotransduction by Piezo ion channels. J Gen Physiol 2022; 154:213231. [PMID: 35593732 PMCID: PMC9127981 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202113044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Piezo ion channels are sensors of mechanical forces and mediate a wide range of physiological mechanotransduction processes. More than a decade of intense research has elucidated much of the structural and mechanistic principles underlying Piezo gating and its roles in physiology, although wide gaps of knowledge continue to exist. Here, we review the forces and energies involved in mechanical activation of Piezo ion channels and their functional modulation by other chemical and physical stimuli including lipids, voltage, and temperature. We compare the three predominant mechanisms likely to explain Piezo activation—the force-from-lipids mechanism, the tether model, and the membrane footprint theory. Additional sections shine light on how Piezo ion channels may affect each other through spatial clustering and functional cooperativity, and how substantial functional heterogeneity of Piezo ion channels arises as a byproduct of the precise physical environment each channel experiences. Finally, our review concludes by pointing out major research questions and technological limitations that future research can address.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Young
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Amanda H Lewis
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Jörg Grandl
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
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Ziolkowski LH, Gracheva EO, Bagriantsev SN. Tactile sensation in birds: Physiological insights from avian mechanoreceptors. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 74:102548. [PMID: 35489134 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.102548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The sense of touch is ubiquitous in vertebrates and relies upon the detection of mechanical forces in the skin by the tactile end-organs of low-threshold mechanoreceptors. Significant progress has been made in understanding the mechanism of tactile end-organ function using mammalian models, but the detailed mechanics of touch sensation in Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles, the principal detectors of transient touch and vibration, remain obscure. The avian homologs of these corpuscles present an opportunity for functional study of mechanosensation in these structures, due to their relative accessibility and high abundance in the bill skin of tactile-foraging waterfowl. Here, we review the current knowledge of mechanosensory end-organs in birds and highlight the utility of the avian model to understand general principles of touch detection in the glabrous skin of vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke H Ziolkowski
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Elena O Gracheva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
| | - Sviatoslav N Bagriantsev
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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Gill JS, Theofylaktopoulos V, Mitsios A, Houston S, Hagag AM, Dubis AM, Moosajee M. Investigating Biomarkers for USH2A Retinopathy Using Multimodal Retinal Imaging. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23084198. [PMID: 35457016 PMCID: PMC9024786 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic mutations in USH2A are a leading cause of visual loss secondary to non-syndromic or Usher syndrome-associated retinitis pigmentosa (RP). With an increasing number of RP-targeted clinical trials in progress, we sought to evaluate the photoreceptor topography underlying patterns of loss observed on clinical retinal imaging to guide surrogate endpoint selection in USH2A retinopathy. In this prospective cross-sectional study, twenty-five patients with molecularly confirmed USH2A-RP underwent fundus autofluorescence (FAF), spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) retinal imaging. Analysis comprised measurement of FAF horizontal inner (IR) and outer (OR) hyperautofluorescent ring diameter; SD-OCT ellipsoid zone (EZ) and external limiting membrane (ELM) width, normalised EZ reflectance; AOSLO foveal cone density and intact macular photoreceptor mosaic (IMPM) diameter. Thirty-two eyes from 16 patients (mean age ± SD, 36.0 ± 14.2 years) with USH2A-associated Usher syndrome type 2 (n = 14) or non-syndromic RP (n = 2) met the inclusion criteria. Spatial alignment was observed between IR-EZ and OR-ELM diameters/widths (p < 0.001). The IMPM border occurred just lateral to EZ loss (p < 0.001), although sparser intact photoreceptor inner segments were detected until ELM disruption. EZ width and IR diameter displayed a biphasic relationship with cone density whereby slow cone loss occurred until retinal degeneration reached ~1350 μm from the fovea, beyond which greater reduction in cone density followed. Normalised EZ reflectance and cone density were significantly associated (p < 0.001). As the strongest correlate of cone density (p < 0.001) and best-corrected visual acuity (p < 0.001), EZ width is the most sensitive biomarker of structural and functional decline in USH2A retinopathy, rendering it a promising trial endpoint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasdeep S. Gill
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, UK; (J.S.G.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (S.H.); (A.M.H.); (A.M.D.)
| | - Vasileios Theofylaktopoulos
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, UK; (J.S.G.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (S.H.); (A.M.H.); (A.M.D.)
| | - Andreas Mitsios
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, UK; (J.S.G.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (S.H.); (A.M.H.); (A.M.D.)
- NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London EC1V 2PD, UK
| | - Sarah Houston
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, UK; (J.S.G.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (S.H.); (A.M.H.); (A.M.D.)
| | - Ahmed M. Hagag
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, UK; (J.S.G.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (S.H.); (A.M.H.); (A.M.D.)
- NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London EC1V 2PD, UK
| | - Adam M. Dubis
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, UK; (J.S.G.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (S.H.); (A.M.H.); (A.M.D.)
- NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London EC1V 2PD, UK
- Global Business School for Health, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Mariya Moosajee
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, UK; (J.S.G.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (S.H.); (A.M.H.); (A.M.D.)
- NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London EC1V 2PD, UK
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London WC1N 3JH, UK
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +44-207-608-6971
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Suazo I, Vega JA, García-Mesa Y, García-Piqueras J, García-Suárez O, Cobo T. The Lamellar Cells of Vertebrate Meissner and Pacinian Corpuscles: Development, Characterization, and Functions. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:790130. [PMID: 35356056 PMCID: PMC8959428 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.790130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory corpuscles, or cutaneous end-organ complexes, are complex structures localized at the periphery of Aβ-axon terminals from primary sensory neurons that primarily work as low-threshold mechanoreceptors. Structurally, they consist, in addition to the axons, of non-myelinating Schwann-like cells (terminal glial cells) and endoneurial- and perineurial-related cells. The terminal glial cells are the so-called lamellar cells in Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles. Lamellar cells are variably arranged in sensory corpuscles as a “coin stack” in the Meissner corpuscles or as an “onion bulb” in the Pacinian ones. Nevertheless, the origin and protein profile of the lamellar cells in both morphotypes of sensory corpuscles is quite similar, although it differs in the expression of mechano-gated ion channels as well as in the composition of the extracellular matrix between the cells. The lamellar cells have been regarded as supportive cells playing a passive role in the process of genesis of the action potential, i.e., the mechanotransduction process. However, they express ion channels related to the mechano–electric transduction and show a synapse-like mechanism that suggest neurotransmission at the genesis of the electrical action potential. This review updates the current knowledge about the embryonic origin, development modifications, spatial arrangement, ultrastructural characteristics, and protein profile of the lamellar cells of cutaneous end-organ complexes focusing on Meissner and Pacinian morphotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván Suazo
- Grupo SINPOS, Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
- Faculcultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - José A. Vega
- Grupo SINPOS, Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
- Faculcultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- *Correspondence: José A. Vega,
| | - Yolanda García-Mesa
- Grupo SINPOS, Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Jorge García-Piqueras
- Grupo SINPOS, Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Olivia García-Suárez
- Grupo SINPOS, Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Teresa Cobo
- Departamento de Cirugía y Especialidades Médico-Quirúrgicas, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
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Özdağ Acarli AN, Klein T, Egenolf N, Sommer C, Üçeyler N. Subepidermal Schwann cell counts correlate with skin innervation - an exploratory study. Muscle Nerve 2022; 65:471-479. [PMID: 35020203 DOI: 10.1002/mus.27496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION/AIMS Schwann cell clusters have been described at the murine dermis-epidermis border. We quantified dermal Schwann cells in the skin of patients with small fiber neuropathy (SFN) compared to healthy controls to correlate with the clinical phenotype. METHODS Skin punch biopsies from the lower legs of 28 patients with SFN (eleven men, 17 women, median age 54 years [19-73]) and 9 healthy controls (five men, four women, median age 34 years [25-69]) were immunoreacted for S100 calcium-binding protein B as a Schwann cell marker, protein-gene product 9.5 as a pan-neuronal marker, and CD207 as a Langerhans cell marker. Intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) and subepidermal Schwann cell counts were determined. RESULTS Skin samples of patients with SFN showed lower IENFD (p<0.05), fewer Schwann cells/mm (p<0.01), and fewer Schwann cell clusters/mm (p<0.05) than controls. When comparing SFN patients with reduced (n=13, median age 53 years, 19-73 years) and normal distal (n=15, median age 54 years, 43-68 years) IENFD, the number of solitary Schwann cells/mm (p<0.01) and subepidermal nerve fibers associated with Schwann cell branches (p<0.05) were lower in patients with reduced IENFD. All three parameters positively correlated with distal IENFD (p<0.05 to p<0.01), while no correlation was found between Schwann cell counts and clinical pain characteristics. DISCUSSION Our data raise questions about the mechanisms underlying the interdependence of dermal Schwann cells and skin innervation in SFN. The temporal course and functional impact of Schwann cell presence and kinetics need further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas Klein
- Department of Neurology, University of Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nadine Egenolf
- Department of Neurology, University of Würzburg, Germany
| | - Claudia Sommer
- Department of Neurology, University of Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nurcan Üçeyler
- Department of Neurology, University of Würzburg, Germany
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Salahshoor H, Guo H, Shapiro MG, Ortiz M. Mechanics Of Ultrasonic Neuromodulation In A Mouse Subject. EXTREME MECHANICS LETTERS 2022; 50:101539. [PMID: 38170107 PMCID: PMC10760995 DOI: 10.1016/j.eml.2021.101539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Ultrasound neuromodulation (UNM), where a region in the brain is targeted by focused ultrasound (FUS), which, in turn, causes excitation or inhibition of neural activity, has recently received considerable attention as a promising tool for neuroscience. Despite its great potential, several aspects of UNM are still unknown. An important question pertains to the off-target sensory effects of UNM and their dependence on stimulation frequency. To understand these effects, we have developed a finite-element model of a mouse, including elasticity and viscoelasticity, and used it to interrogate the response of mouse models to focused ultrasound (FUS). We find that, while some degree of focusing and magnification of the signal is achieved within the brain, the induced pressure-wave pattern is complex and delocalized. In addition, we find that the brain is largely insulated, or 'cloaked', from shear waves by the cranium and that the shear waves are largely carried away from the skull by the vertebral column, which acts as a waveguide. We find that, as expected, this waveguide mechanism is strongly frequency dependent, which may contribute to the frequency dependence of UNM effects. Our calculations further suggest that off-target skin locations experience displacements and stresses at levels that, while greatly attenuated from the source, could nevertheless induce sensory responses in the subject.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Salahshoor
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125
| | - Hongsun Guo
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Mikhail G Shapiro
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Michael Ortiz
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125
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Middleton SJ, Perez-Sanchez J, Dawes JM. The structure of sensory afferent compartments in health and disease. J Anat 2021; 241:1186-1210. [PMID: 34528255 PMCID: PMC9558153 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary sensory neurons are a heterogeneous population of cells able to respond to both innocuous and noxious stimuli. Like most neurons they are highly compartmentalised, allowing them to detect, convey and transfer sensory information. These compartments include specialised sensory endings in the skin, the nodes of Ranvier in myelinated axons, the cell soma and their central terminals in the spinal cord. In this review, we will highlight the importance of these compartments to primary afferent function, describe how these structures are compromised following nerve damage and how this relates to neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J Middleton
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - John M Dawes
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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38
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Handler A, Ginty DD. The mechanosensory neurons of touch and their mechanisms of activation. Nat Rev Neurosci 2021; 22:521-537. [PMID: 34312536 PMCID: PMC8485761 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-021-00489-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Our sense of touch emerges from an array of mechanosensory structures residing within the fabric of our skin. These tactile end organ structures convert innocuous forces acting on the skin into electrical signals that propagate to the CNS via the axons of low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs). Our rich capacity for tactile discrimination arises from the dissimilar intrinsic properties of the LTMR subtypes that innervate different regions of the skin and the structurally distinct end organ complexes with which they associate. These end organ structures comprise a range of non-neuronal cell types, which may themselves actively contribute to the transformation of tactile forces into neural impulses within the LTMR afferents. Although the mechanism and the site of transduction across end organs remain unclear, PIEZO2 has emerged as the principal mechanosensitive channel involved in light touch of the skin. Here we review the physiological properties of LTMR subtypes and discuss how features of their cutaneous end organ complexes shape subtype-specific tuning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Handler
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David D Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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39
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Genetics, pathogenesis and therapeutic developments for Usher syndrome type 2. Hum Genet 2021; 141:737-758. [PMID: 34331125 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-021-02324-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Usher syndrome (USH) is a rare, autosomal recessively inherited disorder resulting in a combination of sensorineural hearing loss and a progressive loss of vision resulting from retinitis pigmentosa (RP), occasionally accompanied by an altered vestibular function. More and more evidence is building up indicating that also sleep deprivation, olfactory dysfunction, deficits in tactile perception and reduced sperm motility are part of the disease etiology. USH can be clinically classified into three different types, of which Usher syndrome type 2 (USH2) is the most prevalent. In this review, we, therefore, assess the genetic and clinical aspects, available models and therapeutic developments for USH2. Mutations in USH2A, ADGRV1 and WHRN have been described to be responsible for USH2, with USH2A being the most frequently mutated USH-associated gene, explaining 50% of all cases. The proteins encoded by the USH2 genes together function in a dynamic protein complex that, among others, is found at the photoreceptor periciliary membrane and at the base of the hair bundles of inner ear hair cells. To unravel the pathogenic mechanisms underlying USH2, patient-derived cellular models and animal models including mouse, zebrafish and drosophila, have been generated that all in part mimic the USH phenotype. Multiple cellular and genetic therapeutic approaches are currently under development for USH2, mainly focused on preserving or partially restoring the visual function of which one is already in the clinical phase. These developments are opening a new gate towards a possible treatment for USH2 patients.
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40
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Fuster-García C, García-Bohórquez B, Rodríguez-Muñoz A, Aller E, Jaijo T, Millán JM, García-García G. Usher Syndrome: Genetics of a Human Ciliopathy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:6723. [PMID: 34201633 PMCID: PMC8268283 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Usher syndrome (USH) is an autosomal recessive syndromic ciliopathy characterized by sensorineural hearing loss, retinitis pigmentosa and, sometimes, vestibular dysfunction. There are three clinical types depending on the severity and age of onset of the symptoms; in addition, ten genes are reported to be causative of USH, and six more related to the disease. These genes encode proteins of a diverse nature, which interact and form a dynamic protein network called the "Usher interactome". In the organ of Corti, the USH proteins are essential for the correct development and maintenance of the structure and cohesion of the stereocilia. In the retina, the USH protein network is principally located in the periciliary region of the photoreceptors, and plays an important role in the maintenance of the periciliary structure and the trafficking of molecules between the inner and the outer segments of photoreceptors. Even though some genes are clearly involved in the syndrome, others are controversial. Moreover, expression of some USH genes has been detected in other tissues, which could explain their involvement in additional mild comorbidities. In this paper, we review the genetics of Usher syndrome and the spectrum of mutations in USH genes. The aim is to identify possible mutation associations with the disease and provide an updated genotype-phenotype correlation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Fuster-García
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomics Biomedicine Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain; (C.F.-G.); (B.G.-B.); (A.R.-M.); (E.A.); (T.J.); (G.G.-G.)
- Unidad Mixta de Enfermedades Raras IIS La Fe-Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Biomedical Research Network for Rare Diseases, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Belén García-Bohórquez
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomics Biomedicine Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain; (C.F.-G.); (B.G.-B.); (A.R.-M.); (E.A.); (T.J.); (G.G.-G.)
- Unidad Mixta de Enfermedades Raras IIS La Fe-Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana Rodríguez-Muñoz
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomics Biomedicine Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain; (C.F.-G.); (B.G.-B.); (A.R.-M.); (E.A.); (T.J.); (G.G.-G.)
- Unidad Mixta de Enfermedades Raras IIS La Fe-Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Elena Aller
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomics Biomedicine Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain; (C.F.-G.); (B.G.-B.); (A.R.-M.); (E.A.); (T.J.); (G.G.-G.)
- Unidad Mixta de Enfermedades Raras IIS La Fe-Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Biomedical Research Network for Rare Diseases, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Genetics Unit, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Teresa Jaijo
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomics Biomedicine Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain; (C.F.-G.); (B.G.-B.); (A.R.-M.); (E.A.); (T.J.); (G.G.-G.)
- Unidad Mixta de Enfermedades Raras IIS La Fe-Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Biomedical Research Network for Rare Diseases, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Genetics Unit, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - José M. Millán
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomics Biomedicine Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain; (C.F.-G.); (B.G.-B.); (A.R.-M.); (E.A.); (T.J.); (G.G.-G.)
- Unidad Mixta de Enfermedades Raras IIS La Fe-Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Biomedical Research Network for Rare Diseases, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Gema García-García
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomics Biomedicine Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain; (C.F.-G.); (B.G.-B.); (A.R.-M.); (E.A.); (T.J.); (G.G.-G.)
- Unidad Mixta de Enfermedades Raras IIS La Fe-Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Biomedical Research Network for Rare Diseases, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
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