The transcriptomes, connections and development of submucosal neuron classes in the mouse small intestine

Abstract

The enteric submucosal plexus regulates essential digestive functions, yet its neuronal composition remains incompletely understood. We identified two putative secretomotor neuron classes and a previously unrecognized submucosal intrinsic primary afferent neuron class through single-cell RNA sequencing in the mouse small intestine. Using viral-mediated labeling of each class, we uncovered their morphologies and neural projections in the submucosa–mucosa context, finding connections among all classes and an unexpected close association with enterochromaffin cells. Further transcriptome analysis at the postnatal stage and lineage tracing revealed that neuron identities in the submucosal plexus emerge through an initial binary fate split at neurogenesis, followed by phenotypic diversification, akin to the developmental process of the myenteric plexus. We propose a unified developmental framework for neuronal diversification across the gut wall. Our study offers comprehensive molecular, developmental and morphological insights into submucosal neurons, opening new avenues for exploring physiological functions, circuit dynamics and formation of the submucosal plexus.