2024年6月19日，《自然》杂志在线发表了美国科学家的一项最新研究成果。来自哈佛医学院的David D. Ginty研究团队发现，克劳斯小体是性行为的生殖器振动触觉传感器。

研究人员报告了小鼠阴蒂和阴茎克劳斯小体的解剖和生理特性及其在性行为中的作用。与阴茎相比，研究人员在阴蒂中观察到了高密度的克劳斯小体。利用小鼠遗传工具，研究人员确定了两种不同的躯体感觉神经元亚型，它们支配阴蒂和阴茎的克劳斯小体，并投射到脊髓的一个独特感觉终端区域。体内电生理学和钙成像实验表明，这两种克劳斯小体传入类型都是A纤维快速适应性低阈机械感受器，对施加于阴蒂或阴茎的动态、轻触和机械振动（40-80 Hz）具有最佳调谐能力。

在功能上，选择性光遗传激活克劳斯小体传入终端可诱发雄性小鼠阴茎勃起和雌性小鼠阴道收缩，而克劳斯小体的遗传去除可损害雄性小鼠的插入和射精，降低雌性小鼠的性接受能力。因此，阴蒂和阴茎的克劳斯小体是高度敏感的机械振动检测器，可介导性别双态的交配行为。

据介绍，克劳斯小体发现于19世纪50年代，是生殖器和其他皮肤粘膜组织内的特殊感觉结构。自发现以来，克劳斯小体的生理特性和功能一直不清楚。

附：英文原文

Title: Krause corpuscles are genital vibrotactile sensors for sexual behaviours

Author: Qi, Lijun, Iskols, Michael, Greenberg, Rachel S., Xiao, Jia Yin, Handler, Annie, Liberles, Stephen D., Ginty, David D.

Issue&Volume: 2024-06-19

Abstract: Krause corpuscles, which were discovered in the 1850s, are specialized sensory structures found within the genitalia and other mucocutaneous tissues1,2,3,4. The physiological properties and functions of Krause corpuscles have remained unclear since their discovery. Here we report the anatomical and physiological properties of Krause corpuscles of the mouse clitoris and penis and their roles in sexual behaviour. We observed a high density of Krause corpuscles in the clitoris compared with the penis. Using mouse genetic tools, we identified two distinct somatosensory neuron subtypes that innervate Krause corpuscles of both the clitoris and penis and project to a unique sensory terminal region of the spinal cord. In vivo electrophysiology and calcium imaging experiments showed that both Krause corpuscle afferent types are A-fibre rapid-adapting low-threshold mechanoreceptors, optimally tuned to dynamic, light-touch and mechanical vibrations (40–80Hz) applied to the clitoris or penis. Functionally, selective optogenetic activation of Krause corpuscle afferent terminals evoked penile erection in male mice and vaginal contraction in female mice, while genetic ablation of Krause corpuscles impaired intromission and ejaculation of males and reduced sexual receptivity of females. Thus, Krause corpuscles of the clitoris and penis are highly sensitive mechanical vibration detectors that mediate sexually dimorphic mating behaviours.

DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07528-4

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07528-4