REVIEW article
Front. Cell. Neurosci.
Sec. Cellular Neuropathology
This article is part of the Research TopicFrom Molecules to Function: The World of Mesencephalic Trigeminal Nucleus Neurons in Health and DiseaseView all articles
Molecular and developmental insights into proprioceptive identity in the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus neurons
Provisionally accepted
- 1Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- 2Department of Neurobiology and Physiology, School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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The mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (MTN) contains trigeminal proprioceptive neurons, a unique class of primary sensory neurons with centrally located cell bodies and a developmental origin distinct from that of peripheral ganglion-derived spinal proprioceptors. MTN neurons have long been recognized for their morphological heterogeneity, but their functions were traditionally viewed as confined to the jaw jerk reflex and oromotor control, reflecting their predominant innervation of jaw-closing muscles. Recent single-cell transcriptomic studies have provided new insight into MTN neurons by uncovering molecular determinants of proprioceptive identity, revealing discrete transcriptional programs that underlie their developmental trajectories and functional specialization. While some subsets of MTN neurons share features with Group Ia and II proprioceptors, they are distinguished by characteristic molecular signatures, including the absence of Runx3, differential Ntrk2 and Ntrk3 expression, and broader transcriptional features that are not observed in classical spinal counterparts. Accumulating evidence also supports a functional role for MTN neurons in the behavioral transition from suckling to mastication during the weaning period in mammals. In this review, we integrate anatomical, molecular, and functional perspectives to refine the proprioceptive identity of MTN neurons and highlight their implications for sensorimotor maturation and developmental disorders.
Keywords: Developmental origins, Dorsal root ganglion, Mastication, Mesencephalictrigeminal nucleus, oral sensorimotor control, postnatal development, Proprioceptive primarysensory neuron, transcriptional programs
Received: 30 Sep 2025; Accepted: 29 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Lee and Oh. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Seog Bae Oh
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