Notch signaling determines cell-fate specification of the two main types of vomeronasal neurons of rodents

• DOI: 10.1242/dev.200448
• Publication Date: 2022-07-04T08:43:59Z
• Authors: Raghu Ram Katreddi; Ed Zandro M. Taroc; Sawyer M. Hicks; Jennifer M. Lin; Shuting Liu; Mengqing Xiang; Paolo E. Forni
• Keywords: Vomeronasal organ; Cell fate determination; Progenitor

ABSTRACT The ability of terrestrial vertebrates to find food and mating partners, avoid predators, relies on the detection chemosensory information. Semiochemicals responsible for social sexual behaviors are detected by neurons vomeronasal organ (VNO), which transmits information accessory olfactory bulb. sensory epithelium most mammalian species contains a uniform system; however, rodents marsupials have developed more complex binary system, containing (VSNs) expressing receptors either V1R or V2R family. In rodents, V1R/apical V2R/basal VSNs originate from common pool progenitors. Using single cell RNA-sequencing, we identified differential expression Notch1 receptor Dll4 ligand between neuronal precursors at VSN differentiation dichotomy. Our experiments show that Notch signaling is required effective VSNs. fact, loss function in progenitors diverts them fate, whereas gain redirects V2R/basal. results indicate plays pivotal role triggering dichotomy VNO rodents.