The transcription factor Phox2b distinguishes between oral and non-oral sensory neurons in the geniculate ganglion.

ABSTRACT: Many basic characteristics of gustatory neurons remain unknown, partly due to the absence of specific markers. Some neurons in the geniculate ganglion project to taste regions in the oral cavity, whereas others innervate the outer ear. We hypothesized that the transcription factor Phox2b would identify oral cavity-projecting neurons in the geniculate ganglion. To test this possibility, we characterized mice in which Phox2b-Cre mediated gene recombination labeled neurons with tdTomato. Nerve labeling revealed that all taste neurons projecting through the chorda tympani (27%) and greater superficial petrosal nerves (15%) expressed Phox2b during development, whereas non-oral somatosensory neurons (58%) in the geniculate ganglion did not. We found tdTomato-positive innervation within all taste

SUBMITTER: Ohman-Gault L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5912919 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature