RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Vertebrate Evolution Conserves Hindbrain Circuits despite Diverse Feeding and Breathing Modes
JF eneuro
JO eNeuro
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP ENEURO.0435-20.2021
DO 10.1523/ENEURO.0435-20.2021
VO 8
IS 2
A1 Shun Li
A1 Fan Wang
YR 2021
UL http://www.eneuro.org/content/8/2/ENEURO.0435-20.2021.abstract
AB Feeding and breathing are two functions vital to the survival of all vertebrate species. Throughout the evolution, vertebrates living in different environments have evolved drastically different modes of feeding and breathing through using diversified orofacial and pharyngeal (oropharyngeal) muscles. The oropharyngeal structures are controlled by hindbrain neural circuits. The developing hindbrain shares strikingly conserved organizations and gene expression patterns across vertebrates, thus begs the question of how a highly conserved hindbrain generates circuits subserving diverse feeding/breathing patterns. In this review, we summarize major modes of feeding and breathing and principles underlying their coordination in many vertebrate species. We provide a hypothesis for the existence of a common hindbrain circuit at the phylotypic embryonic stage controlling oropharyngeal movements that is shared across vertebrate species; and reconfiguration and repurposing of this conserved circuit give rise to more complex behaviors in adult higher vertebrates.