Transcriptomic cell-type taxonomy of the whole mouse brain. Credit: Zizhen Yao et al.
Researchers at the NIH BRAIN Initiative® have published a collection of 10 papers in which they created a complete cell atlas of a mammalian brain. The atlas contains information about the type, location, and molecular information of over 32 million cells.
Published in Nature, the cell atlas serves as a map for the mouse brain including not only cellular information but also information on the connectivity of these cells. “The mouse atlas has brought the intricate network of mammalian brain cells into unprecedented focus, giving researchers the details needed to understand human brain function and diseases,” said Joshua A. Gordon, Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, part of the National Institutes of Health.
The atlas describes the types of cells contained within each region of the brain as well as detailing the organization within those regions. Along with the structural information, the atlas also provides a very detailed hierarchically organized index of the cell's transcriptome. The researchers also characterized and described in the atlas the cell epigenome.
With these components, the atlas provides an unprecedented guide to the cellular organization and diversity throughout the mouse brain. “This product is a testament to the power of this unprecedented, cross-cutting collaboration and paves our path for more precision brain treatments,” said John Ngai, Director of the NIH BRAIN Initiative.
Funding for the collection of studies largely comes from the NIH BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN) as well as the NIH BRAIN Initiative. With a collaborative goal of understanding the brain's cellular makeup as well as creating a comprehensive inventory of brain cells, this collection of studies brings BICCN one step closer to understanding how brain disorders not only develop but how they are best treated.
“By leveraging the unique nature of its multi-disciplinary and international collaboration, the BICCN was able to accomplish what no other team of scientists has been able to before,” said John Ngai. “Now we are ready to take the next big step—completing the cell maps of the human brain and the nonhuman primate brain.”