AIY神经元作为线虫重要的中间神经元,一般认为在线虫的温度感受中发挥功能.分别进行的苯甲醛和硫酸铜的趋向性实验显示,AIY在线虫对于这两种化学物质的感受过程中起作用,而且对于硫酸铜的感受行使抑制功能.苯甲醛和硫酸铜的抉择实验显示,AIY在线虫中能够对这两种物质引起的信号进行整合,在ttv-3突变体中AIY神经元仍然可以行使整合的功能.但是无法判断该整合的功能是否完全无缺陷.
As one of the most important interneurons, AIY plays an important role for the thermosensation in C. elegans and serves as the postsynaptic part of many sensory neurons. Individual chemotaxis assay of benzaldehyde and CuSO4 revealed that AIY was involved in the processes of chemosensation in C. elegans. Chemotactic choice assay in Cu^2+/ benzaldehyde paradigms suggested that the AIY participated in the combination of the chemosensation in wild type, even in the ttx-3 mutant. Further work needs to he done to explore if the combination function of AIY is intact in the ttx-3 mutant.