Work

Intersectional expression of Foxp2 and Grp identifies cold-activated parabrachial neurons

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Cold-activated neurons in the PB relay thermosensory signals that drive autonomic and behavioral cold-defense responses, but their molecular identity has remained unclear. Here, we show that these neurons are selectively identified by coexpression of Foxp2 and Grp, a combination that distinguishes them from surrounding PB neurons. This intersectional genetic identity provides a practical strategy for selectively targeting this population, enabling future mechanistic studies of thermoregulatory circuits.

Source: American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology

DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00133.2026

Authors: Fillan S. Grady, Mya L. Leuang, Silvia Gasparini, Haidong Zhu, Joel C. Geerling

Institutions: University of Washington, University of Iowa

Language: English

Topic: Ion Channels and Receptors

Subfield: Sensory Systems

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Awards: G1867033812, G3490633324, PB-FI connectivity and arousal, Brainstem cold-defense circuitry