DNA sequencing in high-throughput neuroanatomy

J Chem Neuroanat. 2019 Oct:100:101653. doi: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2019.101653. Epub 2019 Jun 4.

Abstract

Mapping brain connectivity at single cell resolution is critical for understanding brain structure. For decades, such mapping has been principally approached with microscopy techniques, aiming to visualize neurons and their connections. However, these techniques are often very labor intensive and do not scale well to the complexity of mammalian brains. We recently leveraged the speed and parallelization of DNA sequencing to map the projections of thousands of single neurons in single experiments, and to map cortical mesoscale connectivity in single mice. Here, I review the state of sequencing-based neuroanatomy, and discuss future directions in synaptic connectivity mapping and comparative connectomics.

Keywords: BARseq; DNA sequencing; MAPseq; Rosetta brain; barcodes; connectivity; in situ sequencing; mesoscale connectivity; projection mapping; tracing.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Connectome / methods*
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing / methods*
  • Humans
  • Neuroanatomy / methods*