WormMine: AnatomyTerm WBbt:0005837

• Definition: neuron that senses soluable chemicals
• Name: chemosensory neuron
• Primary Identifier: WBbt:0005837

11 Children

Definition	Name	Synonym	Primary Identifier
Neuron class of two ciliated neurons that are part of the amphid sensilla; the endings are in the amphid channel, which is open to the outside.	ASH		WBbt:0005665
Neuron class of two neurons that have dual ciliated endings in the amphid sensillum. The endings are in the amphid channel, which is open to the outside. Processes from lateral cell bodies enter the ventral cord via the amphidial commissures and turn anteriorly to enter the nerve ring. The processes of ADF run near the outside surface and posterior face of the ring, in close association with those of AIZ. They meet at the dorsal mid-line and terminate; there is a gap junction at the point or contact. The main synaptic output is to RIA and AIZ; there are also synapses to SMB, AUA and RIR, usually in dyadic combinations with RIA or AIZ. AWB synapses onto ADF in several places, and there are gap junctions to RIH, ADA and AIA.	ADF		WBbt:0005660
Neuron class of two phasmid neurons, type B.	PHB		WBbt:0007808
Neuron class of two neurons that have dual ciliated endings in the amphid sensillum; the endings are in the amphid channel, which is open to the outside.	ADL		WBbt:0005661
Neuron class of two ciliated neurons that are part of the amphid sensilla; the endings are in the amphid channel, which is open to the outside.	ASI		WBbt:0005666
Neuron class of two ciliated neurons that are part of the amphid sensilla; the endings are in the amphid channel, which is open to the outside	ASE		WBbt:0005663
Neuron class of two ciliated neurons that are part of the amphid sensilla; the endings are in the amphid channel, which is open to the outside.	ASG		WBbt:0005664
Neuron class of two ciliated neurons that are part of the amphid sensilla. The endings are in the amphid channel, which is open to the outside.	ASJ		WBbt:0005667
Neuron class of two ciliated neurons that are part of the amphid sensilla. The endings are in the amphid channel, which is open to the outside.	ASK		WBbt:0005668
Neuron class of two phasmid neurons, type A.	PHA		WBbt:0007807
Neuron class of six ciliated neurons, each of which is one of the two component neurons of the six inner labial sensilla.	IL2 neuron		WBbt:0005118

0 Expression Clusters

8 Expression Patterns

• Primary Identifier: Expr2870
• Remark: Reporter gene fusion type not specified. Two GFP reporter constructs were generated, containing distinct putative promoters for nhr-41a and nhr-41b, the latter promoter corresponding to genomic DNA in the large fourth intron. The analysis suggests different expression patterns for the two nhr-41 mRNA isoforms, although it is a formal possibility that enhancers in the fourth intron could be acting on both presumed promoters. Thus, the nhr-41 reporter gene analysis may be revealing distinct functions for the two isoforms.
• Pattern: The nhr-41b reporter gene is expressed consistently in the gut, chemosensory neurons, and head and tail hypodermal cells.

• Primary Identifier: Expr11567
• Pattern: Confocal laser microscopy revealed strong OXY-5::GFP fluorescence in neurons in the head and tail, in the pharynx, and in the intestine. The expression of OXY-5 in neurons was confirmed by co-localization of several signals of OXY-5::GFP with those of chemosensory neurons stained with a fluorescent dye DiQ.
• Subcellular Localization: The fluorescence signals of OXY-5::GFP coincided well with those of MitoTracker Red in the pharynx, and we thus concluded that OXY-5 was localized in mitochondria.

• Primary Identifier: Expr7972
• Remark: Picture: Figure 8. Reporter gene fusion type not specified.
• Pattern: Expressed in DA, VA, AS, chemosensory neuron in head. Also expressed in excretory cell, anal depressor, intestine.

• Primary Identifier: Expr3236
• Pattern: Translational fusions of kqt-3 gene with GFP revealed prominent expression in a variety of C. elegans tissues including intestinal cells, mechanosensory neurons, chemosensory neurons, and other head neurons. The mechanosensitive touch neurons PLM and ALM were clearly labeled by kqt-3::GFP. In addition, a large subset of DiI-positive chemosensory amphid and phasmid neurons consistently labeled with kqt-3::GFP. These identified kqt-3::GFP positive neurons included the amphid neurons ADL, ASI, AWB, and ASH located in the head, and the phasmid neurons PHA and PHB in the tail. An additional DiI-negative neuron in the head labeled consistently with kqt-3::GFP, which were tentatively identified as the chemosensory neuron AWC. Additional unidentified head neurons were labeled by kqt-3::GFP, although expression was not reliably observed in neurons of the ventral or dorsal cord.

• Primary Identifier: Expr1432
• Pattern: GFP-tagged ODR-4 is expressed in ten types of amphid neurons:AWA, AWC, AWB, ADF, ADL, ASG, ASH,ASI, ASJ, and ASK, and in the two types ofphasmid neurons, PHA and PHB. Expressionis seen from the 3-fold embryonic stage onward.
• Subcellular Localization: ODR-4-GFP was present at a high level in the cell body, in the dendrites, and to a lesser extent in the axons of the chemosensory neurons in a discrete punctate pattern. It was not observed in the sensory cilia, making a receptor clustering role less likely. In the cell body, ODR-4-GFP was excluded from the nucleus but was present in the cytoplasm in interconnecting ribbons or tubules. Furthur experiments suggest that ODR-4 protein is located in the cytoplasm, its C-terminal hydrophobic tail anchoring it into a subcellular membrane.

• Primary Identifier: Expr10802
• Pattern: Prominent gtr-1 expression was observed in the head and tail neurons and along the ventral cord. gtr-1 is expressed in chemosensory neurons. gtr-1 is expressed in neither the AFD thermosensory neurons, nor in AIY interneurons. Temporal analysis of gtr-1 expression revealed that signal was first observed in a single location at the 1.5-fold embryonic stage. At the 3-fold stage, clear signals were detected in two areas corresponding to the head and tail regions of the developing embryo, whereas at late morphogenesis, signals were seen in the head and tail and along the developing embryo's body. In L1 larvae signals were observed in the head, tail, and ventral cord and in L2 and L3 larvae in ADL and AIZ neurons.

• Primary Identifier: Expr12712
• Pattern: ins-35 is expressed in the intestine and chemosensory neurons at L1 to L4 stages, and in the intestine at the dauer stage.

• Primary Identifier: Expr2862
• Remark: Reporter gene fusion type not specified.
• Pattern: Expression of the nhr-6DGFP reporter was limited; robust expression was only observed in the posterior and anterior spermatheca during the L3 and L4 stages. Weak expression in two chemosensory neurons was variably observed at all stages.

0 Life Stages

1 Parents

Definition	Name	Synonym	Primary Identifier
neuron that senses external stimuli and transduce them to signals internal to the organism.	sensory neuron		WBbt:0005759