In Vivo Tactile Stimulation-Evoked Responses in Caenorhabditis elegans Amphid Sheath Glia

Glial cells are important components of the nervous system. However, how they respond to physiological stimuli in vivo remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the electrophysiological activities and Ca(2+) responses of the C. elegans amphid sheath glia (AMsh glia) to tactile stimulation in vivo. We recorded robust inward currents and Ca(2+) elevation in the AMsh cell with the delivery of tactile stimuli of varying displacements to the nose tip of the worm. Compared to the adjacent mechanoreceptor ASH neuron, the AMsh cell showed greater sensitivity to tactile stimulation. Amiloride, an epithelial Na(+) channel blocker, blocked the touch-induced currents and Ca(2+) signaling in the ASH neuron, but not those in the AMsh cell. Taken together, our results revealed that AMsh glial cells actively respond to in vivo tactile stimulation and likely function cell-autonomously as mechanoreceptors.