Fig. 3: Avil-positive vagal sensory neurons send axonal projections to the periportal area.

a, b Schematic illustration of the experimental conditions. We used Avil^{CreERT2;ChR2-tdTomato} mice. Images showing expression of tdTomato at nerve terminals in the periportal area b. Left panel, scale bar, 20 μm. Right panel: higher magnification view of the white square area, scale bar, 10 μm. c, d Anterograde monosynaptic AAV-FLEX-GFPsm-myc viruses were injected into the left nodose ganglion of of Avil^CreERT2 mice. Most nerve terminals were positive for GFP and Myc, indicating that they were the nerve terminals of Avil-positive vagal sensory neurons innervating the liver. Scale bar, 20 μm. Bottom panel: higher magnification view of the white square area. Arrowheads represent co-expression of Myc and GFP. Bottom panel: scale bar, 10 μm. e AAVrg-FLEX-jGcamp7s viruses were injected into the livers of Avil^CreERT2 mice. f, g Images showing that GFP-positive nerve terminals were also stained with Avil (red, f) and the presynaptic marker Syn1 (red, g). Upper panel: scale bar, 20 μm, Bottom panel: scale bar, 10 μm.