Type: Interneuron
Connectivity:
- In MoW: AVD
- In WormWiring: AVDL_h, AVDR_h, AVDL_m, AVDR_m
- In Nemanode: AVD
In Wormbase: AVD, AVDL, AVDR
Lineage: AB alaaapalr, AB alaaapprl
Location: Lateral ganglia of head
Description: One of four bilaterally symmetric interneuron pairs (AVA, AVB, AVD, and PVC) with large-diameter axons that run the entire length of the ventral nerve cord and provide input to the ventral cord motor neurons (VA, DA, and AS).
Neurotransmitter/ Neuropeptide:
- Acetylcholine
(Pereira et al., 2015)
Innexin expression:
- INX-1a
- INX-1b
- INX-2
- INX-6
- INX-10a
- INX-14
- INX-18a
- INX-19
- UNC-7
- UNC-9
(Altun et al., 2009; Bhattacharya et al., 2019)
Receptor expression:
- GLR-1; glutamate receptor subunit
- GLR-2; glutamate receptor subunit
- GLR-5; glutamate receptor subunit
- NMR-1; glutamate receptor subunit
- NMR-2; glutamate receptor subunit
- PDFR-1; pigment dispersing factor (PDF-1) receptor
- UNC-8, a DEG/ENaC family member homologous to subunits of a candidate mechanically gated ion channel
(Wormbase; Barrios et al., 2012; Brockie et al., 2001; Tavernarakis et al., 1997; Maricq et al., 1995)

Function: Command interneuron
- Functions as modulator for backward locomotion induced by head-touch. Drives backward movement (reversal) of the animal along with driver cell AVA neuron, AVE and A-type motor neurons. However, AVA/AVD/AVE are important for initiating reversals, they are not essential, since worms lacking these neurons can still initiate reversals although at a reduced frequency (Piggott et al,, 2011).
Reporters:
- At CGC:
- Other: