Group Leader, 4D Cellular Physiology
Janelia Research Campus
Title: Molecular, anatomical, and functional diversity of lung interoceptors
Abstract: As we vividly perceive the external world through our canonical five senses, our nervous system continuously monitors both our internal organs and environment. This internal surveillance is crucial for regulating physiological homeostasis, triggering defense responses, and generating interoception. A major category of neurons responsible for this internal monitoring is the peripheral sensory neurons that innervate our internal organs. The lungs, being the essential organ for gas exchange, receive an extensive innervation by a heterogeneous population of internal sensory neurons. The cell bodies of these neurons are primarily located in the cranial ganglia on the vagal nerve. I will describe my work on understanding the molecular, anatomical, and functional diversity of these lung-innervating sensory neurons. This work provides valuable insights into how a diverse group of internal sensory neurons is organized to encode the internal states of an organ and orchestrate the corresponding physiological processes.
Host: Darcy Kelley
