The strongest GFP signals that we identified came from the pharyngeal gland cells. Additionally, we visualized pezo- 1::GFP in a series of cells surrounding the muscle of the corpus and the isthmus (Albertson and Thomson, 1976). We also recognized the arcade cells as putative
pezo-1-expressing cells, according to their morphology and location. We also observed many other anterior cells labeled with GFP; however, we cannot currently confirm if they represent neurons and/or amphids.By crossing
pezo-1::GFP with a
tph-1::DsRed marker-carrying strain, we were able to identify
pezo-1 expression in the pha- ryngeal neurosecretory, motor, and sensory (propioceptive/ mechanosensory) neurons (NSML/R). In addition to the pharyngeal cells, we observed expression of
pezo-1 in the ventral nerve cord neurons, according to their morphology and location, striated muscles, coelomocytes, spermatheca, vulval muscles, and various male neurons, including the ray neurons.