In Vivo Imaging of C. elegans Mechanosensory Neurons Demonstrates a Specific Role for the MEC-4 Channel in the Process of Gentle Touch Sensation

Suzuki, Hiroshi; Kerr, Rex; Bianchi, Laura; Frøkjær-Jensen, Christian; Slone, Dan; Xue, Jian; Gerstbrein, Beate; Driscoll, Monica; Schafer, William R.

doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2003.08.015

Cited by 265 publications

(304 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Calcium imaging experiments of ALM neurons in vivo show that this influx is dependent on mec-4 and mec-2 as well as egl-19, which encodes an α-subunit of an L-type voltagegated calcium channel [82]. Imaging of cultured touch receptor neurons also suggests that UNC-36, an α 2 /δ subunit of L-type channels, may function as an accessory subunit to enhance calcium influx and voltage sensitivity [28].…”

Section: Mechanoreceptor Current and Calcium Influxmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Null mutations in mec-2, mec-4, or mec-6 eliminate MRCs, suggesting that each of these subunits is needed for channel function [57]. These mutations do not affect other currents in the touch receptor neurons, showing specificity for affecting MRCs [57,82]. More significantly, point mutations in mec-4 and mec-10 that modify the selectivity of the degenerin channel alter the properties of the MRC.…”

Section: Mechanoreceptor Current and Calcium Influxmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Touch sensitivity in Caenorhabditis elegans

Bounoutas

Chalfie

2007

Pflugers Arch - Eur J Physiol

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The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was the first organism for which touch insensitive mutants were obtained. The study of the genes defective in these mutants has led to the identification of components of a mechanosensory complex needed for specific cells to sense gentle touch to the body. Multiple approaches using genetics, cell biology, biochemistry, and electrophysiology have characterized a channel complex, containing two DEG/ENaC pore-forming subunits and several other proteins, that transduces the touch response. Other mechanical responses, sensed by other cells using a variety of other components, are less well understood in C. elegans. Many of these other senses may use TRP channels, although DEG/ENaC channels have also been implicated.

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Section: Mechanoreceptor Current and Calcium Influxmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Mechanoreceptor Current and Calcium Influxmentioning

confidence: 99%

Touch sensitivity in Caenorhabditis elegans

Bounoutas

Chalfie

2007

Pflugers Arch - Eur J Physiol

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“…A recent study provides a potential mechanistic link between repeated activation of touch cells and the decremented calcium current described by Suzuki et al (2003). Cai et al (2009) identified a K þ channel (shw-3) and an accessory subunit (mps-1) with a role in regulating touch sensitivity.…”

Section: Nonassociative Learning Mechanosensory Habituationmentioning

confidence: 99%

An elegant mind: Learning and memory in Caenorhabditis elegans

Ardiel¹,

Rankin²

2010

Learn. Mem.

234

191

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This article reviews the literature on learning and memory in the soil-dwelling nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Paradigms include nonassociative learning, associative learning, and imprinting, as worms have been shown to habituate to mechanical and chemical stimuli, as well as learn the smells, tastes, temperatures, and oxygen levels that predict aversive chemicals or the presence or absence of food. In each case, the neural circuit underlying the behavior has been at least partially described, and forward and reverse genetics are being used to elucidate the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. Several genes have been identified with no known role other than mediating behavior plasticity.Historically, it was believed that even if they were capable of learning, the nervous systems of invertebrates were too different to be instructive on human cognition. In the 1960s, Kandel and colleagues began studying learning in the marine mollusc Aplysia (Kandel and Tauc 1965). Using this system, they were able to relate behavioral plasticity to changes at specific synapses of identified neurons, and began a biochemical analysis of these neuronal changes, uncovering a role for cAMP, PKA, and CREB. In the 1970s, Benzer and colleagues began a genetic dissection of learning in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (Quinn et al. 1974;Dudai et al. 1976). They established an associative learning assay (Quinn et al. 1974) and conducted a forward genetic screen, identifying the first learning mutant, dunce (Dudai et al. 1976). Since then, many genes have been cloned, and the biological basis of learning has proven to be highly conserved (Barco et al. 2006;Skoulakis and Grammenoudi 2006). Today there is no question as to the relevance of invertebrate research in the field of learning and memory.At about the same time that Kandel was beginning his work with Aplysia, Sydney Brenner chose Caenorhabditis elegans as the organism in which to study development and the nervous system (Brenner 1974). Today this transparent nematode is the world's best understood animal. It's small size ( 1 mm), short life cycle (,3 d), and ease of cultivation make it perfect for the laboratory, and its mode of reproduction is ideal for genetic analysis-selffertilizing hermaphrodites can be easily inbred or crossed with males. The genome has been mapped and sequenced, and there are thousands of mutants and RNAi constructs readily available for researchers. Furthermore, C. elegans has an invariant cell lineage and relatively simple morphology-959 cells make up the entire adult hermaphrodite (Sulston and Horvitz 1977;Sulston et al. 1983). Using serial section electron micrographs, White et al. (1986) were able to construct a neural wiring diagram of the hermaphrodite's 302 neurons. They found about 5000 chemical synapses, 600 gap junctions, and 2000 neuromuscular junctions, the location of which were fairly consistent between animals. With its invariant cell lineage and reproducible connectome, C. elegans was initially viewed as a genetically hardwired ...

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“…Expression of high affinity cameleons in Caenorhabditis elegans buffers sufficient calcium (Suzuki et al, 2003) to affect behavior (Kindt et al, 2007) and rescues calcium-binding protein knockout phenotypes (Ferkey et al, 2007 (Neher, 1995) such that…”

Section: Intrinsic Properties That Influence the Performance Of Gecismentioning

confidence: 99%

Reporting neural activity with genetically encoded calcium indicators

2008

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Genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs), based on recombinant fluorescent proteins, have been engineered to observe calcium transients in living cells and organisms. Through observation of calcium, these indicators also report neural activity. We review progress in GECI construction and application, particularly toward in vivo monitoring of sparse action potentials (APs). We summarize the extrinsic and intrinsic factors that influence GECI performance. A simple model of GECI response to AP firing demonstrates the relative significance of these factors. We recommend a standardized protocol for evaluating GECIs in a physiologically relevant context. A potential method of simultaneous optical control and recording of neuronal circuits is presented.

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In Vivo Imaging of C. elegans Mechanosensory Neurons Demonstrates a Specific Role for the MEC-4 Channel in the Process of Gentle Touch Sensation

Cited by 265 publications

References 35 publications

Touch sensitivity in Caenorhabditis elegans

Touch sensitivity in Caenorhabditis elegans

An elegant mind: Learning and memory in Caenorhabditis elegans

Reporting neural activity with genetically encoded calcium indicators

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