Cell Identification: Body Mechanosensory Neurons

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Body mechanosensory neurons are AVM, ALML/R, PVM, PLML/R which sense gentle body-touch (e.g. with an eye lash) and were previously called the microtubule cells because their long axonal processes are filled with bundles of distinctive large-diameter microtubules (M. Driscoll and J. Kaplan, 1997).

AVM is a single neuron located on the right hand side of the anterior half of the body. A ventrally directed process joins the ventral cord as a commissure and runs on the right side of VC, in extreme ventral location and along the process of PVM.

ALML/R are located around midbody region on both sides of the animal. The anteriorly directed processes of ALML/R run between dorsal sublateral cords and canal-associated tracts and in close association with the processes of ALNL/R.

PVM is situated on the left-hand side of the posterior half of the body. A ventrally directed process joins the VC as a left sided commissure and runs within VC along the process of AVM.

PLML/R are located in the tail region, within lumbar ganglia. They are bipolar neurons with short, posteriorly directed processes and long, anteriorly directed processes. The anterior processes run between ventral sublateral cords and canal associated tracts on both sides and terminate around mid-body region. In males, the cell bodies of PLML/R typically sit in the base of ray 6L/R, respectively.

See cell body positions and tract placements here.