哥伦比亚大学Nikhil Sharma小组提出了不同转录的肠神经元的特性和功能。该项研究成果发表在2025年11月25日出版的《细胞》上。

研究团队开发了一套motheme遗传工具，可以精确地操作和检查肠神经支配神经元，特别是肠神经系统中的神经元，它们代表了最常见的肠神经支配神经群。研究小组报道了一系列转录不同的肠道神经元亚群具有不同的形态特化和对肠道功能的影响，包括控制粪便排出量，粪便水化和食物摄入。课题组研究人员还报道了肠道神经系统内的亚群需要外源性神经支配来控制肠道运输或食物摄入。总的来说，这些遗传方法可以对肠道神经系统进行研究，并进一步研究其与体内更广泛的神经网络的相互作用。

研究人员表示，神经系统对肠道的影响是通过肠神经、感觉神经和自主神经的联合支配来实现的。然而，消除这些生理上不同的肠神经支配神经元群的功能一直是一个挑战。

附：英文原文

Title: Properties and functions of transcriptionally distinct enteric neurons

Author: David Shi, Pranav Reddy, McKayla Marrin, Christopher Walker, Catherine Siu, Paul A. Muller, Ee-Lynn Yap, Nikhil Sharma

Issue&Volume: 2025-11-25

Abstract: The influence of the nervous system on the intestine is carried out by a combination of enteric, sensory, and autonomic innervation. However, disambiguating the functions of these physiologically distinct intestine-innervating neuronal populations has been a challenge. Here, we develop a collection of mouse genetic tools that enable precise manipulation and examination of intestine-innervating neurons, particularly those in the enteric nervous system, which represent the most frequent of the intestine-innervation neural populations. We report that an array of transcriptionally distinct enteric neuron subpopulations has distinct morphological specializations and influences on intestinal function, including controlling fecal output, fecal hydration, and food intake. We also report that subpopulations within the enteric nervous system require extrinsic innervation to exert control over intestinal transit or food intake. Collectively, these genetic approaches enable interrogation of the enteric nervous system and further study of its interactions with broader neural networks in the body.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.10.041

Source: https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(25)01246-2