Transcriptional and morphological profiling of parvalbumin interneuron subpopulations in the mouse hippocampus

Nat Commun. 2021 Jan 4;12(1):108. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-20328-4.

Abstract

The diversity reflected by >100 different neural cell types fundamentally contributes to brain function and a central idea is that neuronal identity can be inferred from genetic information. Recent large-scale transcriptomic assays seem to confirm this hypothesis, but a lack of morphological information has limited the identification of several known cell types. In this study, we used single-cell RNA-seq in morphologically identified parvalbumin interneurons (PV-INs), and studied their transcriptomic states in the morphological, physiological, and developmental domains. Overall, we find high transcriptomic similarity among PV-INs, with few genes showing divergent expression between morphologically different types. Furthermore, PV-INs show a uniform synaptic cell adhesion molecule (CAM) profile, suggesting that CAM expression in mature PV cells does not reflect wiring specificity after development. Together, our results suggest that while PV-INs differ in anatomy and in vivo activity, their continuous transcriptomic and homogenous biophysical landscapes are not predictive of these distinct identities.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aging / genetics
  • Animals
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / metabolism
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics
  • Electrophysiological Phenomena
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Hemoglobins / genetics
  • Hemoglobins / metabolism
  • Hippocampus / cytology*
  • Interneurons / cytology*
  • Interneurons / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Parvalbumins / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Transcriptome / genetics

Substances

  • Cell Adhesion Molecules
  • Hemoglobins
  • Parvalbumins
  • RNA, Messenger