Researchers Unveil Comprehensive Mammalian Brain Cell Map
An international team of scientists has achieved a milestone by crafting the first comprehensive cell atlas of an entire mammalian brain. This atlas details over 32 million cells in a mouse brain, offering vital data on cell types, their locations, molecular details, and connections. This research, funded by the National Institutes of Health’s BRAIN Initiative, published in Nature across 10 papers, marks a pivotal step toward understanding the human brain and holds promise for the development of targeted therapies for brain-related disorders.
Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the National Institute of Mental Health under the National Institutes of Health, highlighted the significance of the mouse atlas in providing essential details for comprehending human brain function and illnesses. So, this atlas delineates various cell types and their arrangement within different regions of the mouse brain. It offers an intricate catalog of each cell’s transcriptome, describing gene readouts that determine cellular products.
Researchers unveil comprehensive mammalian brain cell map: cell’s DNA and chromosomes
This comprehensive information is structured hierarchically, detailing cell classes, subclasses, and numerous individual cell clusters within the brain. Moreover, the atlas characterizes the cell epigenome, detailing modifications to a cell’s DNA and chromosomes, showcasing diverse brain cell types and potential genetic regulatory elements.
Combined, this atlas offers an unparalleled depiction of cellular diversity and organization in the mouse brain. It also catalogs neurotransmitters and neuropeptides used by different cells, illustrating connections among cell types in the brain. This detailed blueprint illuminates the initiation and transmission of chemical signals across various brain regions.
The electrical signals generated through these mechanisms govern brain circuitry and overall brain functionality. Therefore, John Ngai, Ph.D., Director of the NIH BRAIN Initiative, praised this collaborative achievement as a significant step toward precision brain treatments.
The ten studies
Seven of the 10 studies are funded by the NIH BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN), focusing on comprehending the brain’s cellular makeup. The BICCN aims to create a comprehensive inventory of brain cells, their locations, development, interactions, and regulatory mechanisms. This endeavor, therefore, seeks to enhance comprehension of brain disorders, their progression, and effective treatment strategies by comprehending the brain’s cellular makeup.
Moreover, Dr. Ngai highlighted the unprecedented achievement of the BICCN, made possible through its multi-disciplinary and global collaboration, marking a significant breakthrough unmatched by any other scientific team.
The initiative is now ready for the next major task: completing detailed cell maps of both the human brain and the nonhuman primate brain. Therefore, this endeavor marks the emergence of the BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN), a critical phase in the NIH BRAIN Initiative’s pursuit to unravel the complexities of cell functions in the mammalian brain.
BICAN, in conjunction with two other extensive projects — the BRAIN Initiative Connectivity Across Scales and the Armamentarium for Precision Brain Cell Access — aims to transform neuroscience research. These efforts seek to illuminate fundamental principles governing behavioral circuits and pave the way for innovative approaches to treating human brain disorders.
Read the original article on sciencedaily.
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