The Functional Organization of Cutaneous Low-Threshold Mechanosensory Neurons

December 2011 in “ Cell ”

Lishi Li, Michael Rutlin, Victoria E. Abraira, Colleen Cassidy, Laura Kus, Shiaoching Gong, Michael P. Jankowski, Wenqin Luo, Nathaniel Heintz, H. Richard Koerber, C. Jeffery Woodbury, David D. Ginty

cutaneous mechanosensory neurons low-threshold mechanoreceptors LTMRs Aβ-LTMRs Aδ-LTMRs C-LTMRs hair follicle guard hairs awl/auchene hairs zigzag hairs axonal endings dorsal horn spinal cord skin mechanosensory neurons

TLDR Different hair follicles in the skin are innervated by unique combinations of mechanosensory neurons, crucial for touch sensation.

The study investigated the organization of low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs) in mouse hairy skin, revealing that each hair follicle type (guard, awl/auchene, and zigzag) is innervated by a unique combination of LTMRs, making each follicle a distinct mechanosensory end organ. Genetic labeling showed that LTMRs form narrow columns in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, suggesting integrated processing of touch sensations. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was identified as a marker for C-LTMRs, which are associated with zigzag and awl/auchene hair follicles. This mapping enhances the understanding of touch perception and processing at the neuronal level.

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