CSF-contacting neurons regulate locomotion by relaying mechanical stimuli to spinal circuits

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10866
• Publication Date: 2016-03-07T10:23:52Z
• Authors: Urs Lucas Böhm; Andrew Prendergast; Lydia Djenoune; Sophie Nunes Figu...; Johanna Gomez; Caleb Stokes; Sonya Kaiser; Maximilliano Suster; Koichi Kawakami; Marine Charpentier; Jean-Paul Concordet; Jean-Paul Rio; Filippo Del Bene; Claire Wyart
• Keywords: Male; Neurons; Cell biology; 0303 health sciences; Science; Q; Zebrafish Proteins; Article; Biomechanical Phenomena; Biological sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; Transient Receptor Potential Channels; Spinal Cord; Cell Movement; Animals; [SDV.NEU]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Neurons and Cognition [q-bio.NC]; Female; Mechanoreceptors; Zebrafish; Neuroscience; Cerebrospinal Fluid

Abstract Throughout vertebrates, cerebrospinal fluid-contacting neurons (CSF-cNs) are ciliated cells surrounding the central canal in ventral spinal cord. Their contribution to modulate locomotion remains undetermined. Recently, we have shown CSF-cNs by directly projecting onto locomotor pattern generators (CPGs), but sensory modality these convey circuits and their relevance innate remain elusive. Here, demonstrate vivo that form an intraspinal mechanosensory organ detects bending. By performing calcium imaging moving animals, show respond both passive active bending of In mutants for channel Pkd2l1, lose response animals a selective reduction tail beat frequency, confirming role this feedback loop optimizing locomotion. Altogether, our study reveals constitute operating during CPGs.