Table 2.
Sensory function of ciliated neurons in C. elegans
| Nervous system | Sensillum | Neuron | Function | Dye-filling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core | Amphid | ASE | Water-soluble chemotaxis, avoidance | - |
|
| ||||
| ASG | Dauer formation, lifespan, chemotaxis | - | ||
|
| ||||
| ASH | Nociception (osmotic avoidance, nose touch, chemorepulsion), social feeding | FITC, DiI | ||
|
| ||||
| ASI | Dauer formation, chemotaxis, navigation | FITC, DiI | ||
|
| ||||
| ASJ | Dauer recovery, chemotaxis, lifespan | FITC, DiI | ||
|
| ||||
| ASK | Avoidance, chemotaxis, lifespan, navigation | FITC, DiI | ||
|
| ||||
| ADF | Dauer formation, chemotaxis | FITC | ||
|
| ||||
| ADL | Avoidance, social feeding | FITC, DiI | ||
|
| ||||
| AWA | Volatile chemotaxis, lifespan | - | ||
|
| ||||
| AWB | Volatile avoidance | DiI | ||
|
| ||||
| AWC | Volatile chemotaxis, lifespan, navigation | - | ||
|
| ||||
| AFD | Thermosenation | - | ||
|
| ||||
| Cephalic | CEP | Mechanosensation (basal slowing response) | FITC1 | |
|
| ||||
| Outer labial | OLQ | Mechanosensation (basal slowing response and nose touch) | - | |
|
| ||||
| OLL | Unknown (presumably mechanosensory) | - | ||
|
| ||||
| Inner labial | IL1 | Mechanosensation (nose touch) | - | |
|
| ||||
| IL2 | Unknown (putative chemosensory) | DiI, DiO | ||
|
| ||||
| Phasmid | PHA, PHB | chemorepulsion | FITC, DiI | |
|
| ||||
| Deirid | ADE, PDE | Mechanosensation (basal slowing response) | FITC1 | |
|
| ||||
| AQR, PQR | Oxygen sensation, social feeding | - | ||
|
| ||||
| BAG | Unknown | - | ||
|
| ||||
| FLP | Mechanosensation (nose touch) | - | ||
|
| ||||
| Male-specific | Cephalic | CEM | Sexual attraction to pheromone | - |
|
| ||||
| Ray | RnA, RnB | Response and turning during mating | - | |
|
| ||||
| Hook | HOA, HOB | Vulva location, spicule prodding | - | |
|
| ||||
| Spicule | SPV | Inhibition of ejaculation | - | |
| SPD | Sperm transfer | - | ||
|
| ||||
| Postcloacal | PCA | Spicule prodding and insertion, sperm transfer | - | |
Column 1 refers to the “core” nervous system that is present in males and hermaphrodites or the “male-specific” nervous system that is exclusive to the male. FITC: fluorescein isothiocyanate; DiI: 1,1'-Dioctadecyl 3,3,3',3'-Tetramethylindocarbocyanine Perchlorate
1
occasionally dye fills with FITC. Detailed reference lists are included in Table 1.