Type: Sensory neuron (odorsensory, electrosensory and photosensory)
In MoW: AWB
Male Wiring Project: AWBL, AWBR
In Wormbase: AWB, AWBL, AWBR
Lineage: AB alpppppap, AB praaappap
Location: Lateral ganglia of head
Description: Amphid wing "B" cells. AWB have ciliated sheet-like sensory endings closely associated with amphid sheath. Like all other amphid neurons, AWB are born near the presumptive nose of the embryo during development. They then anchor a short projection there, after which the cell body migrates away, stretching the dendrite out behind it. This process is dependent on DEX-1 or DYF-7, secreted extracellular matrix proteins which act cooperatively for anchoring. In mutants lacking these proteins, the dendrite fails to anchor at the nose and is dragged along with the migrating cell body, giving rise to a short dendritic stub (Heiman and Shaham, 2010)
Neurotransmitter/ Neuropeptide:
- Acetylcholine
- NLP-3; neuropeptide-like protein
- NLP-9; neuropeptide-like protein
(Pereira et al., 2015; Nathoo et al., 2001)

Innexin expression:
- INX-19
- UNC-9
(Altun et al., 2009; Chuang et al, 2007)
Receptor expression:
- STR-1; G protein-coupled serpentine receptor
- DAF-11 ; transmembrane guanylyl cyclase
- Possibly AEX-2; a 7-transmembrane domain protein with homology to the G protein-coupled receptor family
(Mahoney et al., 2008; Birnby et al., 2000; Troemel et al., 1997)
Function:
- Avoidance from 2-nonanone, 1-octanol (Troemel et al., 1997)
- Lightsensation (350-470 nm range); when a flash of light is focused on the head of a worm moving forward, the animal halts and initiates reversals. Ablation of ASJ, AWB, ASK and ASH neurons together leads to a severe deficit in this head avoidance response while ablation of them individually or in different combinations does not yiled a significant defect suggesting functional redundancy (Ward et al., 2008).
- Electrosensory navigation; C. elegans moves toward the negative pole of an electric field. Killing the ASJ or ASH neurons leads to significant disruption in electrotaxis while killing ASK, AWB or AWC has a weaker effect (Gabel et al., 2007).