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Mechanotransduction

A new cell in an old tactile sensory organ

Nature Cell Biology volume 25, pages 518–519 (2023)Cite this article

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In adult Drosophila, the sense of touch is mediated by mechanosensory organs, namely tactile bristles in the epidermis. A new study reveals that a previously unknown type of epidermal cell, named the F-cell, is recruited to ensheath the tactile bristle and is required for touch sensing.

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Fig. 1: Anatomy and development of Drosophila tactile bristle.
Fig. 2: The F-cell is important for the function of the tactile bristle.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, UCSF/HHMI, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Ruijun Zhu & Yuh Nung Jan

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  1. Ruijun Zhu
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  2. Yuh Nung Jan
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Correspondence to Yuh Nung Jan.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Zhu, R., Jan, Y.N. A new cell in an old tactile sensory organ. Nat Cell Biol 25, 518–519 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-023-01119-7

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