Spatial Transcriptomics: Molecular Maps of the Mammalian Brain.

Maps of the nervous system inspire experiments and theories in neuroscience. Advances in molecular biology over the past decades have revolutionized the definition of cell and tissue identity. Spatial transcriptomics has opened up a new era in neuroanatomy, where the unsupervised and unbiased exploration of the molecular signatures of tissue organization will give rise to a new generation of brain maps. We propose that the molecular classification of brain regions on the basis of their gene expression profile can circumvent subjective neuroanatomical definitions and produce common reference frameworks that can incorporate cell types, connectivity, activity, and other modalities. Here we review the technological and conceptual advances made possible by spatial transcriptomics in the context of advancing neuroanatomy and discuss how molecular neuroanatomy can redefine mapping of the nervous system.

Citation

Cantin Ortiz, Marie Carlén, Konstantinos Meletis. Spatial Transcriptomics: Molecular Maps of the Mammalian Brain. Annual review of neuroscience. 2021 Jul 08;44:547-562

Mesh Tags

PMID: 33914592

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