Molecular correlates of muscle spindle and Golgi tendon organ afferents
Open Access
- 1 March 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Nature Communications
- Vol. 12 (1), 1-19
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21880-3
Abstract
Proprioceptive feedback mainly derives from groups Ia and II muscle spindle (MS) afferents and group Ib Golgi tendon organ (GTO) afferents, but the molecular correlates of these three afferent subtypes remain unknown. We performed single cell RNA sequencing of genetically identified adult proprioceptors and uncovered five molecularly distinct neuronal clusters. Validation of cluster-specific transcripts in dorsal root ganglia and skeletal muscle demonstrates that two of these clusters correspond to group Ia MS afferents and group Ib GTO afferent proprioceptors, respectively, and suggest that the remaining clusters could represent group II MS afferents. Lineage analysis between proprioceptor transcriptomes at different developmental stages provides evidence that proprioceptor subtype identities emerge late in development. Together, our data provide comprehensive molecular signatures for groups Ia and II MS afferents and group Ib GTO afferents, enabling genetic interrogation of the role of individual proprioceptor subtypes in regulating motor output.Funding Information
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIH R01NS078375, NIH R01AA027079, NIH R01NS106715)
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- SMA Foundation, Target-ALS
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Thompson Family Foundation Initiative
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