AVEL, AVER

Type: Interneuron
In MoW: AVE
Male Wiring Project: AVELh, AVERh, AVELm, AVERm
In Wormbase: AVE, AVEL, AVER
Lineage: AB alpppaaaa, AB praaaaaaa
Location: Lateral ganglia of head
Description: Ventral cord interneurons. AVE's have the same postsynaptic targets as AVD's, but processes of AVE's are restricted to anterior cord, ending shortly before vulva.
Neurotransmitter/ Neuropeptide:
- Acetylcholine
- FLP-1; FMRFamide-like peptide
(Although earlier reports suggested AVE might be glutamatergic, more recent studies showed it is not)
(Pereira et al., 2015; Serrano-Saiz et al., 2013; Ohnishi et al., 2011; Nelson et al., 1998)
Innexin expression:
None yet reported, although described to have gap junctions in adult animals (MoW)
Receptor expression:
- GLR-1; glutamate receptor subunit
- GLR-2; glutamate receptor subunit
- GLR-5; glutamate receptor subunit
- NMR-1; glutamate receptor subunit
- NMR-2; glutamate receptor subunit
(Maricq et al., 1995; Brockie et al., 2001)
Function: Command interneuron.
- Drive backward movement of the animal along with AVA, AVD and A-type motor neurons. See Locomotory circuit.

Click image for closeup view Click pictures for higher resolution images and to play movie

See Quicktime movie of confocal stack opt-3::GFP expression in AVEL, AVER (by Christina Gleason/Miller lab); Fei et al. (2000)J. Biol. Chem. 275: 9563-71. (Note that neurons shown as AVAs in this publication are actually AVEs. D. Miller, pers. comm.)
 
 

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AVEL (AB alpppaaaa) development in the embryo. Dorsal view. Bottom is left side of the embryo. Spheres indicate individual nuclei. Black sphere: ancestors of AVEL; dark grey spheres: apoptotic cells; other cells follow the WA color code (after they acquire specific cell or tissue identities). 0 min is fertilization. Click on the movie for higher resolution rendition (by A. Santella & Z. Bao).
 
 

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AVER (AB praaaaaaa) development in the embryo. Dorsal view. Bottom is left side of the embryo. Spheres indicate individual nuclei. Black sphere: ancestors of AVER; dark grey spheres: apoptotic cells; other cells follow the WA color code (after they acquire specific cell or tissue identities). 0 min is fertilization. Click on the movie for higher resolution rendition (by A. Santella & Z. Bao).
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