Fig. 2: A ‘tissue layer’ dimension coding VSN ending locations and structures.
From: A multidimensional coding architecture of the vagal interoceptive system
a, UMAP plots of identified DEGs (top) and their expression measures (middle) along a ‘tissue layer’ trajectory. Bottom, DEG+ VSN ending locations, quantified as ‘tissue layer’ index score in corresponding DEGtdT mice (mean; number of mice: Gpr65-oesophagus, 3; Gpr65-stomach, 7; Gpr65-duodenum, 4; Sst-stomach, 5; Trpv1-oesophagus, 3; Trpv1-stomach, 7; Trpv1-duodenum, 4; Trpv1-colon, 4; Trpv1-heart, 10; Drd2-oesophagus, 3; Drd2-stomach, 6; Drd2-duodenum, 3; Drd2-colon, 2; Drd2-heart, 6; Agtr1a-oesophagus, 4; Agtr1a-stomach, 12; Agtr1a-duodenum, 4; Agtr1a-colon, 3; Agtr1a-heart, 6). b, UMAP plot of VSN clusters, coloured by average tissue index determined in Gpr65tdT (F1–F4 clusters; golden), SsttdT (F5 cluster; yellow), Drd2tdT (J2–J4, H2, H4 and I1 clusters; orange), and Agtr1atdT (I2 and I4–6 clusters; orange-red) mice, showing a continuous trajectory coding tissue layers along the organ’s surface–lumen axis. c, Correlation between mean ‘tissue layer’ trajectory score of DEG+ VSNs and their ‘tissue layer’ index score in corresponding DEGtdT mice (mean ± s.e.m.; n as in a). Linear regression R2 = 0.6315. d, VSN ending types characterized in Vglut2tdT mice show stereotypical structures along various tissue layers across multiple visceral organs. Scale bars, 100 μm. e, Projection-seq-guided anterograde tracing (schematic illustration, left) reveals genetic identities of stereotypical VSN ending types illustrated on the UMAP plot (right). VSN clusters forming various VSN ending types followed the ‘tissue layer’ trajectory well (dashed arrow). f, Model for combinatorial coding of the body’s internal space in VSNs using a 2D genetic matrix.
