<p>The claustro-insular region is an evolutionarily conserved and extensively interconnected brain area, critical for functions such as attention, cognitive flexibility, interoception, and affective processing. Despite its importance, its cellular composition and organization remain poorly characterized, hindering a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying its diverse functions. By combining single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, we create a high-resolution atlas of this region in mice, uncovering distinct neuronal subtypes and unexpected complexity. Leveraging this atlas, we investigate the role of NR4A2, a neuropsychiatric risk factor expressed in several claustro-insular neuronal subtypes. In an <i>Nr4a2</i> haploinsufficiency model, we find that only claustrum neurons exhibited shifts in molecular identity. This identity shift, which involves the activation of a transcription factor cascade, is associated with alterations in neuronal firing activity. Our findings provide new insights into the cellular architecture of the claustro-insular region and highlights <i>Nr4a2</i> as a key regulator of its component’s identities.</p>

错误:搜索内容不能为空,请输入英文关键词
错误:关键词超出字数限制,请精简
高级检索

A spatial single-cell atlas of the claustro-insular region uncovers key regulators of neuronal identity and excitability

  • Leon Fodoulian,
  • Madlaina Boillat,
  • Marie Moulinier,
  • Alan Carleton,
  • Ivan Rodriguez

摘要

The claustro-insular region is an evolutionarily conserved and extensively interconnected brain area, critical for functions such as attention, cognitive flexibility, interoception, and affective processing. Despite its importance, its cellular composition and organization remain poorly characterized, hindering a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying its diverse functions. By combining single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, we create a high-resolution atlas of this region in mice, uncovering distinct neuronal subtypes and unexpected complexity. Leveraging this atlas, we investigate the role of NR4A2, a neuropsychiatric risk factor expressed in several claustro-insular neuronal subtypes. In an Nr4a2 haploinsufficiency model, we find that only claustrum neurons exhibited shifts in molecular identity. This identity shift, which involves the activation of a transcription factor cascade, is associated with alterations in neuronal firing activity. Our findings provide new insights into the cellular architecture of the claustro-insular region and highlights Nr4a2 as a key regulator of its component’s identities.