ADEL, ADER

Type: Sensory neuron (mechanosensory, possible pheromone-sensory)
Connectivity:
- In MoW: ADE
- In Wormwiring: ADELh, ADERh, ADELm, ADERm
- In Nemanode: ADE
In Wormbase: ADE, ADEL, ADER
Lineage: AB plapaaaapa, AB prapaaaapa
Location: Located laterally in the head, behind the second bulb of the pharynx.
Description: Anterior deirids. The sensillar branch from the dorsal process of each ADE neuron follows a dorsal and frequently posterior trajectory ending laterally within the lateral alae in the anterior third of the body. See Deirids. The dorsal process enters the nerve ring laterally and runs anteriorly through the ring neuropil, making small synapses to other neurons. The ventral process of each neuron runs through the deirid commissure to enter the retrovesicular ganglion. It then runs anteriorly and enters the ventral ganglion where it crosses over to the opposite side and runs posteriorly for a short distance.

Neurotransmitter/Neuropeptide:
- Dopamine
- PDF-1; pigment dispensing factor homolog
(Loer and Rand, 2022; Janssen et al., 2009; Sulston et al., 1975)
Innexin expression:
- CHE-7
- INX-1a
- INX-1b
- INX-7
- UNC-9
(Altun et al., 2009; Bhattacharya et al., 2019)
Receptor expression:
- DOP-2; dopamine receptor
- EXP-1; excitatory, cation-selective GABA receptor
- TRP-4; pore-forming subunit of a mechanosensitive TRPN channel
- TYRA-3; tyramine receptor
- Possibly ACR-16; nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
(Wormbase; Altun, 2011; Wragg et al., 2007; Feng et al., 2006; Kahn-Kirby and Bargmann, 2006; Li et al., 2006; Beg and Jorgensen, 2003; Suo et al., 2003)
Function:
- ADEL/R are dopaminergic nose touch mechanoceptors. They modulate locomotion behavior in response to the presence of food by textural mechanosensation, wherein upon encountering a lawn of bacteria (or Sephadex G-200 beads) worms slow their forward movement. The three classes of ciliated dopaminergic neurons (CEPs,ADEs, and PDEs) function redundantly in this behavior (i.e. sensing the mechanosensory stimuli during crawling through bacteria (or the beads) and communicating with the motor circuit to bring about the locomotory change) (Sawin et al., 2000). Another form of motor plasticity related to food presence is area restricted search (ARS). CEP and PDE neurons work synergistically to mediate this behavior while ADE modulates it (Hills et al., 2004).
- Anterior harsh touch sensation: Laser ablation of FLP, AQR, ADE results in a significant reduction of anterior harsh touch sensation, while laser ablation of BDU, SDQR, FLP, ADE and AQR eliminates it (Li et al., 2011).
- Possibly pheromone sensation: The complete pheromone (a mixture composed of derivatives of the dideoxysugar ascarylose (ascarosides) insensitivity of the tax-2(p694) mutant suggests that this defect is due to a site of action in one or more of the AFD, ASE, ADE, or BAG neurons, since the tax-2(p694) mutation eliminates expression of the TAX-2 subunit from these, but has normal expression and function in the other seven neurons that express this channel (Aillion and Thomas, 2000).
Reporters:
- At CGC: BZ555 egIs1[dat-1p::GFP]. Also expressed in CEP, PDE, R5A, R7A, R9A in males.
- Other: BY200
Click image for closeup view Click pictures for higher resolution images

 
 
 

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ADEL (AB plapaaaapa) development in the embryo. Dorsal view. Bottom is left side of the embryo. Spheres indicate individual nuclei. Black sphere: ancestors of ADEL (since last ADEL ancestor has not yet gone through its final division, the black sphere seen at the end of this movie is still AB plapaaaap); dark grey spheres: apoptotic cells; other cells follow the WA color code (after they acquire specific cell or tissue identities). 0 min is fertilization. Click on the movie for higher resolution rendition (by A. Santella & Z. Bao).
 
 

Click here for larger version
ADER (AB prapaaaapa) development in the embryo. Dorsal view. Bottom is left side of the embryo. Spheres indicate individual nuclei. Black sphere: ancestors of ADER (since last ADER ancestor has not yet gone through its final division, the black sphere seen at the end of this movie is still AB prapaaaap); dark grey spheres: apoptotic cells; other cells follow the WA color code (after they acquire specific cell or tissue identities). 0 min is fertilization. Click on the movie for higher resolution rendition (by A. Santella & Z. Bao).

Last revision: April 12, 2024
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