Pa Reum Lee, Jihoon Kim, Heather Lynn Rossi, Sena Chung, Seung Yub Han, Junhyong Kim, Seog Bae Oh
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Dental primary afferent (DPA) neurons and proprioceptive mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (MTN) neurons, located in the trigeminal ganglion and the brainstem, respectively, are essential for controlling masticatory functions. Despite extensive transcriptomic studies on various somatosensory neurons, there is still a lack of knowledge about the molecular identities of these populations due to technical challenges in their circuit-validated isolation. Here, we employed high-depth single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) in combination with retrograde tracing in mice to identify intrinsic transcriptional features of DPA and MTN neurons. Our transcriptome analysis revealed five major types of DPA neurons with cell type-specific gene enrichment, some of which exhibit unique mechano-nociceptive properties capable of transmitting nociception in response to innocuous mechanical stimuli in the teeth. Furthermore, we discovered cellular heterogeneity within MTN neurons that potentially contribute to their responsiveness to mechanical stretch in the masseter muscle spindles. Additionally, DPA and MTN neurons represented sensory compartments with distinct molecular profiles characterized by various ion channels, receptors, neuropeptides, and mechanoreceptors. Together, our study provides new biological insights regarding the highly specialized mechanosensory functions of DPA and MTN neurons in pain and proprioception.
期刊介绍:
The International Journal of Oral Science covers various aspects of oral science and interdisciplinary fields, encompassing basic, applied, and clinical research. Topics include, but are not limited to:
Oral microbiology
Oral and maxillofacial oncology
Cariology
Oral inflammation and infection
Dental stem cells and regenerative medicine
Craniofacial surgery
Dental material
Oral biomechanics
Oral, dental, and maxillofacial genetic and developmental diseases
Craniofacial bone research
Craniofacial-related biomaterials
Temporomandibular joint disorder and osteoarthritis
The journal publishes peer-reviewed Articles presenting new research results and Review Articles offering concise summaries of specific areas in oral science.