Jan explains how dendrite morphology relates to the function of neurons. For example, class IV da neurons are photoreceptors and their dendrites form a regular array in the fruit fly larvae to enable the avoidance of noxious signals, like light. On the other hand, class III da neurons are mechanosensors, and they use no mechanoreceptor potential C (NompC) protein to detect gentle touch. Jan and collaborators showed that NompC works by tethering ankyrin repeats to microtubules, providing evidence for the first time that this type of gating mechanosensor mechanism is possible.