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Generation of somatic sensory neuron diversity and implications on sensory coding
1Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 1 Jimmy Fund Way, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|October 5, 2010
Summary
Developing distinct sensory neurons like pain, temperature, and itch receptors from a common embryonic pool involves intricate molecular signaling. Understanding these developmental pathways offers insights into how the body processes somatic sensations.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons mediate diverse somatic sensations, including pain, temperature, and itch.
- These sensory neurons originate from a common pool of embryonic DRG neurons expressing the neurotrophin receptor TrkA.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the specification of distinct sensory neuron subtypes from a common progenitor.
- To explore the interplay between intrinsic transcription factors and extrinsic target-derived signals in neuronal differentiation.
- To provide a developmental framework for understanding the neural coding of somatic sensations.
Main Methods:
- This discussion integrates existing research on gene expression patterns and signaling pathways.
- Focuses on the role of transcription factors and neurotrophin signaling in DRG neuron development.
Main Results:
- Intrinsic transcription factors and target-derived signals collaborate to specify distinct sensory neuron modalities.
- This developmental process establishes the foundation for differential coding of somatic sensations.
Conclusions:
- The precise interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic factors during development is crucial for generating functionally diverse sensory neurons.
- Understanding these mechanisms offers a developmental perspective on how the nervous system encodes sensory information.
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01:29Overview of Somatic Sensory Pathways
Somatic sensory or somatosensory pathways refer to the neural pathways that carry information related to touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and proprioception from the skin, muscles, tendons, and joints to the brain. These pathways involve several stages of processing and integration of sensory information.
The somatosensory system is divided into three main pathways: the dorsal (or posterior) column-medial lemniscus, spinothalamic (or anterolateral), and spinocerebellar pathways.
The dorsal...
The somatosensory system is divided into three main pathways: the dorsal (or posterior) column-medial lemniscus, spinothalamic (or anterolateral), and spinocerebellar pathways.
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01:33Somatosensation
The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.
01:11Sensory Perception: Organization of the Somatosensory System
The somatosensory system is the central and peripheral nervous system component that senses and processes touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and body position or proprioception. The process of sensation takes place at three levels:
The receptor level:
The receptor level is the first stage of sensation. It involves the detection of a stimulus by specialized sensory receptors. The stimulus must arrive within the receptor's receptive field. Next, the receptor converts the energy of the stimulus...
The receptor level:
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01:28Major Somatic Sensory Pathways
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01:31Introduction to Sensory Receptors
Sensory receptors are vital in our ability to perceive and interpret the world. Sensory receptors are specialized cells in the peripheral nervous system that respond to various stimuli and enable one to experience different sensations. Based on specific criteria, sensory receptors are classified into distinct types.
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