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Benavides-Piccione R, Blazquez-Llorca L, Kastanauskaite A, Fernaud-Espinosa I, Tapia-González S, DeFelipe J. Key morphological features of human pyramidal neurons. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae180. [PMID: 38745556 PMCID: PMC11094408 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The basic building block of the cerebral cortex, the pyramidal cell, has been shown to be characterized by a markedly different dendritic structure among layers, cortical areas, and species. Functionally, differences in the structure of their dendrites and axons are critical in determining how neurons integrate information. However, within the human cortex, these neurons have not been quantified in detail. In the present work, we performed intracellular injections of Lucifer Yellow and 3D reconstructed over 200 pyramidal neurons, including apical and basal dendritic and local axonal arbors and dendritic spines, from human occipital primary visual area and associative temporal cortex. We found that human pyramidal neurons from temporal cortex were larger, displayed more complex apical and basal structural organization, and had more spines compared to those in primary sensory cortex. Moreover, these human neocortical neurons displayed specific shared and distinct characteristics in comparison to previously published human hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Additionally, we identified distinct morphological features in human neurons that set them apart from mouse neurons. Lastly, we observed certain consistent organizational patterns shared across species. This study emphasizes the existing diversity within pyramidal cell structures across different cortical areas and species, suggesting substantial species-specific variations in their computational properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Benavides-Piccione
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid 28223, Spain
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Doctor Arce 37, Madrid 28002, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), ISCIII, Valderrebollo 5, Madrid 28031, Spain
| | - Lidia Blazquez-Llorca
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid 28223, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), ISCIII, Valderrebollo 5, Madrid 28031, Spain
- Departamento de Tecnología Fotónica y Bioingeniería, ETSI Telecomunicación, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Asta Kastanauskaite
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid 28223, Spain
| | - Isabel Fernaud-Espinosa
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Doctor Arce 37, Madrid 28002, Spain
| | - Silvia Tapia-González
- Laboratorio de Neurofisiología Celular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier DeFelipe
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid 28223, Spain
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Doctor Arce 37, Madrid 28002, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), ISCIII, Valderrebollo 5, Madrid 28031, Spain
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2
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Jorstad NL, Close J, Johansen N, Yanny AM, Barkan ER, Travaglini KJ, Bertagnolli D, Campos J, Casper T, Crichton K, Dee N, Ding SL, Gelfand E, Goldy J, Hirschstein D, Kiick K, Kroll M, Kunst M, Lathia K, Long B, Martin N, McMillen D, Pham T, Rimorin C, Ruiz A, Shapovalova N, Shehata S, Siletti K, Somasundaram S, Sulc J, Tieu M, Torkelson A, Tung H, Callaway EM, Hof PR, Keene CD, Levi BP, Linnarsson S, Mitra PP, Smith K, Hodge RD, Bakken TE, Lein ES. Transcriptomic cytoarchitecture reveals principles of human neocortex organization. Science 2023; 382:eadf6812. [PMID: 37824655 DOI: 10.1126/science.adf6812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Variation in cytoarchitecture is the basis for the histological definition of cortical areas. We used single cell transcriptomics and performed cellular characterization of the human cortex to better understand cortical areal specialization. Single-nucleus RNA-sequencing of 8 areas spanning cortical structural variation showed a highly consistent cellular makeup for 24 cell subclasses. However, proportions of excitatory neuron subclasses varied substantially, likely reflecting differences in connectivity across primary sensorimotor and association cortices. Laminar organization of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes also differed across areas. Primary visual cortex showed characteristic organization with major changes in the excitatory to inhibitory neuron ratio, expansion of layer 4 excitatory neurons, and specialized inhibitory neurons. These results lay the groundwork for a refined cellular and molecular characterization of human cortical cytoarchitecture and areal specialization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennie Close
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | | | - Eliza R Barkan
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | | | - Jazmin Campos
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Tamara Casper
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | - Nick Dee
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Song-Lin Ding
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Emily Gelfand
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Jeff Goldy
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | - Katelyn Kiick
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Matthew Kroll
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Michael Kunst
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Kanan Lathia
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Brian Long
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Naomi Martin
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | | | | | - Augustin Ruiz
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | - Soraya Shehata
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Kimberly Siletti
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Josef Sulc
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Michael Tieu
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Amy Torkelson
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Herman Tung
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Edward M Callaway
- Systems Neurobiology Laboratories, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - C Dirk Keene
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Boaz P Levi
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Sten Linnarsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Partha P Mitra
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, NY 11724, USA
| | - Kimberly Smith
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | | | - Ed S Lein
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
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3
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Han X, Guo S, Ji N, Li T, Liu J, Ye X, Wang Y, Yun Z, Xiong F, Rong J, Liu D, Ma H, Wang Y, Huang Y, Zhang P, Wu W, Ding L, Hawrylycz M, Lein E, Ascoli GA, Xie W, Liu L, Zhang L, Peng H. Whole human-brain mapping of single cortical neurons for profiling morphological diversity and stereotypy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf3771. [PMID: 37824619 PMCID: PMC10569712 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf3771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Quantifying neuron morphology and distribution at the whole-brain scale is essential to understand the structure and diversity of cell types. It is exceedingly challenging to reuse recent technologies of single-cell labeling and whole-brain imaging to study human brains. We propose adaptive cell tomography (ACTomography), a low-cost, high-throughput, and high-efficacy tomography approach, based on adaptive targeting of individual cells. We established a platform to inject dyes into cortical neurons in surgical tissues of 18 patients with brain tumors or other conditions and one donated fresh postmortem brain. We collected three-dimensional images of 1746 cortical neurons, of which 852 neurons were reconstructed to quantify local dendritic morphology, and mapped to standard atlases. In our data, human neurons are more diverse across brain regions than by subject age or gender. The strong stereotypy within cohorts of brain regions allows generating a statistical tensor field of neuron morphology to characterize anatomical modularity of a human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Han
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuxia Guo
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Nan Ji
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Tumor, Beijing, China
| | - Tian Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiangqiao Ye
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhixi Yun
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Feng Xiong
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Rong
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Di Liu
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Ma
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yujin Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Huang
- China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenhao Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Liya Ding
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | | | - Ed Lein
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Giorgio A. Ascoli
- Center for Neural Informatics, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Studies and Bioengineering Department, College of Engineering and Computing, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Wei Xie
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lijuan Liu
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Liwei Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Tumor, Beijing, China
| | - Hanchuan Peng
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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4
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Cano-Astorga N, Plaza-Alonso S, DeFelipe J, Alonso-Nanclares L. 3D synaptic organization of layer III of the human anterior cingulate and temporopolar cortex. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:9691-9708. [PMID: 37455478 PMCID: PMC10472499 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The human anterior cingulate and temporopolar cortices have been proposed as highly connected nodes involved in high-order cognitive functions, but their synaptic organization is still basically unknown due to the difficulties involved in studying the human brain. Using Focused Ion Beam/Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB/SEM) to study the synaptic organization of the human brain obtained with a short post-mortem delay allows excellent results to be obtained. We have used this technology to analyze layer III of the anterior cingulate cortex (Brodmann area 24) and the temporopolar cortex, including the temporal pole (Brodmann area 38 ventral and dorsal) and anterior middle temporal gyrus (Brodmann area 21). Our results, based on 6695 synaptic junctions fully reconstructed in 3D, revealed that Brodmann areas 24, 21 and ventral area 38 showed similar synaptic density and synaptic size, whereas dorsal area 38 displayed the highest synaptic density and the smallest synaptic size. However, the proportion of the different types of synapses (excitatory and inhibitory), the postsynaptic targets, and the shapes of excitatory and inhibitory synapses were similar, regardless of the region examined. These observations indicate that certain aspects of the synaptic organization are rather homogeneous, whereas others show specific variations across cortical regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Cano-Astorga
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain
- PhD Program in Neuroscience, Autonoma de Madrid University - Cajal Institute, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergio Plaza-Alonso
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier DeFelipe
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), ISCIII, Valderrebollo 5, 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Lidia Alonso-Nanclares
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), ISCIII, Valderrebollo 5, 28031 Madrid, Spain
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5
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Sancha-Velasco A, Uceda-Heras A, García-Cabezas MÁ. Cortical type: a conceptual tool for meaningful biological interpretation of high-throughput gene expression data in the human cerebral cortex. Front Neuroanat 2023; 17:1187280. [PMID: 37426901 PMCID: PMC10323436 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1187280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The interpretation of massive high-throughput gene expression data requires computational and biological analyses to identify statistically and biologically significant differences, respectively. There are abundant sources that describe computational tools for statistical analysis of massive gene expression data but few address data analysis for biological significance. In the present article we exemplify the importance of selecting the proper biological context in the human brain for gene expression data analysis and interpretation. For this purpose, we use cortical type as conceptual tool to make predictions about gene expression in areas of the human temporal cortex. We predict that the expression of genes related to glutamatergic transmission would be higher in areas of simpler cortical type, the expression of genes related to GABAergic transmission would be higher in areas of more complex cortical type, and the expression of genes related to epigenetic regulation would be higher in areas of simpler cortical type. Then, we test these predictions with gene expression data from several regions of the human temporal cortex obtained from the Allen Human Brain Atlas. We find that the expression of several genes shows statistically significant differences in agreement with the predicted gradual expression along the laminar complexity gradient of the human cortex, suggesting that simpler cortical types may have greater glutamatergic excitability and epigenetic turnover compared to more complex types; on the other hand, complex cortical types seem to have greater GABAergic inhibitory control compared to simpler types. Our results show that cortical type is a good predictor of synaptic plasticity, epigenetic turnover, and selective vulnerability in human cortical areas. Thus, cortical type can provide a meaningful context for interpreting high-throughput gene expression data in the human cerebral cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariadna Sancha-Velasco
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Master Program in Neuroscience, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alicia Uceda-Heras
- Master Program in Neuroscience, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience UAM-Cajal, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel García-Cabezas
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Master Program in Neuroscience, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience UAM-Cajal, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
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Gandolfi D, Mapelli J, Solinas SMG, Triebkorn P, D'Angelo E, Jirsa V, Migliore M. Full-scale scaffold model of the human hippocampus CA1 area. NATURE COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE 2023; 3:264-276. [PMID: 38177882 PMCID: PMC10766517 DOI: 10.1038/s43588-023-00417-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
The increasing availability of quantitative data on the human brain is opening new avenues to study neural function and dysfunction, thus bringing us closer and closer to the implementation of digital twin applications for personalized medicine. Here we provide a resource to the neuroscience community: a computational method to generate full-scale scaffold model of human brain regions starting from microscopy images. We have benchmarked the method to reconstruct the CA1 region of a right human hippocampus, which accounts for about half of the entire right hippocampal formation. Together with 3D soma positioning we provide a connectivity matrix generated using a morpho-anatomical connection strategy based on axonal and dendritic probability density functions accounting for morphological properties of hippocampal neurons. The data and algorithms are supplied in a ready-to-use format, suited to implement computational models at different scales and detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Gandolfi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Jonathan Mapelli
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
- Center for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
| | - Sergio M G Solinas
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
- Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Paul Triebkorn
- Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Egidio D'Angelo
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Viktor Jirsa
- Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Michele Migliore
- Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy.
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7
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Angular gyrus: an anatomical case study for association cortex. Brain Struct Funct 2023; 228:131-143. [PMID: 35906433 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02537-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The angular gyrus is associated with a spectrum of higher order cognitive functions. This mini-review undertakes a broad survey of putative neuroanatomical substrates, guided by the premise that area-specific specializations derive from a combination of extrinsic connections and intrinsic area properties. Three levels of spatial resolution are discussed: cellular, supracellular connectivity, and synaptic micro-scale, with examples necessarily drawn mainly from experimental work with nonhuman primates. A significant factor in the functional specialization of the human parietal cortex is the pronounced enlargement. In addition to "more" cells, synapses, and connections, however, the heterogeneity itself can be considered an important property. Multiple anatomical features support the idea of overlapping and temporally dynamic membership in several brain wide subnetworks, but how these features operate in the context of higher cognitive functions remains for continued investigations.
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Wouterlood FG. Techniques to Render Dendritic Spines Visible in the Microscope. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 34:69-102. [PMID: 37962794 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-36159-3_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
A tiny detail visible on certain neurons at the limit of resolution in light microscopy went in 130 years of neuroscience research through a dazzling career from suspicious staining artifact to what we recognize today as a complex postsynaptic molecular machine: the dendritic spine.This chapter deals with techniques to make spines visible. The original technique, Golgi silver staining, is still being used today. Electron microscopy and automated field ion beam scanning electron microscopy are ultrahigh resolution techniques, albeit specialized. Other methods are intracellular injection, uptake of dyes, and recently the exploitation of genetically modified animals in which certain neurons express fluorescent protein in all their processes, including the nooks and crannies of their dendritic spines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floris G Wouterlood
- Department of Anatomy & Neurosciences, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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9
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Renner J, Rasia-Filho AA. Morphological Features of Human Dendritic Spines. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 34:367-496. [PMID: 37962801 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-36159-3_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Dendritic spine features in human neurons follow the up-to-date knowledge presented in the previous chapters of this book. Human dendrites are notable for their heterogeneity in branching patterns and spatial distribution. These data relate to circuits and specialized functions. Spines enhance neuronal connectivity, modulate and integrate synaptic inputs, and provide additional plastic functions to microcircuits and large-scale networks. Spines present a continuum of shapes and sizes, whose number and distribution along the dendritic length are diverse in neurons and different areas. Indeed, human neurons vary from aspiny or "relatively aspiny" cells to neurons covered with a high density of intermingled pleomorphic spines on very long dendrites. In this chapter, we discuss the phylogenetic and ontogenetic development of human spines and describe the heterogeneous features of human spiny neurons along the spinal cord, brainstem, cerebellum, thalamus, basal ganglia, amygdala, hippocampal regions, and neocortical areas. Three-dimensional reconstructions of Golgi-impregnated dendritic spines and data from fluorescence microscopy are reviewed with ultrastructural findings to address the complex possibilities for synaptic processing and integration in humans. Pathological changes are also presented, for example, in Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. Basic morphological data can be linked to current techniques, and perspectives in this research field include the characterization of spines in human neurons with specific transcriptome features, molecular classification of cellular diversity, and electrophysiological identification of coexisting subpopulations of cells. These data would enlighten how cellular attributes determine neuron type-specific connectivity and brain wiring for our diverse aptitudes and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josué Renner
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology and Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Alberto A Rasia-Filho
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology and Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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10
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Petanjek Z, Banovac I, Sedmak D, Hladnik A. Dendritic Spines: Synaptogenesis and Synaptic Pruning for the Developmental Organization of Brain Circuits. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 34:143-221. [PMID: 37962796 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-36159-3_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Synaptic overproduction and elimination is a regular developmental event in the mammalian brain. In the cerebral cortex, synaptic overproduction is almost exclusively correlated with glutamatergic synapses located on dendritic spines. Therefore, analysis of changes in spine density on different parts of the dendritic tree in identified classes of principal neurons could provide insight into developmental reorganization of specific microcircuits.The activity-dependent stabilization and selective elimination of the initially overproduced synapses is a major mechanism for generating diversity of neural connections beyond their genetic determination. The largest number of overproduced synapses was found in the monkey and human cerebral cortex. The highest (exceeding adult values by two- to threefold) and most protracted overproduction (up to third decade of life) was described for associative layer IIIC pyramidal neurons in the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.Therefore, the highest proportion and extraordinarily extended phase of synaptic spine overproduction is a hallmark of neural circuitry in human higher-order associative areas. This indicates that microcircuits processing the most complex human cognitive functions have the highest level of developmental plasticity. This finding is the backbone for understanding the effect of environmental impact on the development of the most complex, human-specific cognitive and emotional capacities, and on the late onset of human-specific neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zdravko Petanjek
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Ivan Banovac
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dora Sedmak
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ana Hladnik
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
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Rasia-Filho AA, Calcagnotto ME, von Bohlen Und Halbach O. Introduction: What Are Dendritic Spines? ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 34:1-68. [PMID: 37962793 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-36159-3_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Dendritic spines are cellular specializations that greatly increase the connectivity of neurons and modulate the "weight" of most postsynaptic excitatory potentials. Spines are found in very diverse animal species providing neural networks with a high integrative and computational possibility and plasticity, enabling the perception of sensorial stimuli and the elaboration of a myriad of behavioral displays, including emotional processing, memory, and learning. Humans have trillions of spines in the cerebral cortex, and these spines in a continuum of shapes and sizes can integrate the features that differ our brain from other species. In this chapter, we describe (1) the discovery of these small neuronal protrusions and the search for the biological meaning of dendritic spines; (2) the heterogeneity of shapes and sizes of spines, whose structure and composition are associated with the fine-tuning of synaptic processing in each nervous area, as well as the findings that support the role of dendritic spines in increasing the wiring of neural circuits and their functions; and (3) within the intraspine microenvironment, the integration and activation of signaling biochemical pathways, the compartmentalization of molecules or their spreading outside the spine, and the biophysical properties that can affect parent dendrites. We also provide (4) examples of plasticity involving dendritic spines and neural circuits relevant to species survival and comment on (5) current research advancements and challenges in this exciting research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto A Rasia-Filho
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology and Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Maria Elisa Calcagnotto
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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DeFelipe J, DeFelipe-Oroquieta J, Furcila D, Muñoz-Alegre M, Maestú F, Sola RG, Blázquez-Llorca L, Armañanzas R, Kastanaskaute A, Alonso-Nanclares L, Rockland KS, Arellano JI. Neuroanatomical and psychological considerations in temporal lobe epilepsy. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:995286. [PMID: 36590377 PMCID: PMC9794593 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.995286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common form of focal epilepsy and is associated with a variety of structural and psychological alterations. Recently, there has been renewed interest in using brain tissue resected during epilepsy surgery, in particular 'non-epileptic' brain samples with normal histology that can be found alongside epileptic tissue in the same epileptic patients - with the aim being to study the normal human brain organization using a variety of methods. An important limitation is that different medical characteristics of the patients may modify the brain tissue. Thus, to better determine how 'normal' the resected tissue is, it is fundamental to know certain clinical, anatomical and psychological characteristics of the patients. Unfortunately, this information is frequently not fully available for the patient from which the resected tissue has been obtained - or is not fully appreciated by the neuroscientists analyzing the brain samples, who are not necessarily experts in epilepsy. In order to present the full picture of TLE in a way that would be accessible to multiple communities (e.g., basic researchers in neuroscience, neurologists, neurosurgeons and psychologists), we have reviewed 34 TLE patients, who were selected due to the availability of detailed clinical, anatomical, and psychological information for each of the patients. Our aim was to convey the full complexity of the disorder, its putative anatomical substrates, and the wide range of individual variability, with a view toward: (1) emphasizing the importance of considering critical patient information when using brain samples for basic research and (2) gaining a better understanding of normal and abnormal brain functioning. In agreement with a large number of previous reports, this study (1) reinforces the notion of substantial individual variability among epileptic patients, and (2) highlights the common but overlooked psychopathological alterations that occur even in patients who become "seizure-free" after surgery. The first point is based on pre- and post-surgical comparisons of patients with hippocampal sclerosis and patients with normal-looking hippocampus in neuropsychological evaluations. The second emerges from our extensive battery of personality and projective tests, in a two-way comparison of these two types of patients with regard to pre- and post-surgical performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier DeFelipe
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Madrid, Spain,Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain,*Correspondence: Javier DeFelipe,
| | - Jesús DeFelipe-Oroquieta
- Gerencia Asistencial de Atención Primaria, Servicio Madrileño de Salud, Madrid, Spain,Facultad de Educación, Universidad Camilo José Cela, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diana Furcila
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mar Muñoz-Alegre
- Facultad de Educación y Psicología, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Maestú
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain,Center for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael G. Sola
- Cátedra UAM de “Innovación en Neurocirugía”, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lidia Blázquez-Llorca
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain,Sección Departamental de Anatomía y Embriología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rubén Armañanzas
- Institute of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain,Tecnun School of Engineering, Universidad de Navarra, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Asta Kastanaskaute
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Madrid, Spain,Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lidia Alonso-Nanclares
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Madrid, Spain,Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Kathleen S. Rockland
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jon I. Arellano
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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Guerra KTK, Renner J, Vásquez CE, Rasia‐Filho AA. Human cortical amygdala dendrites and spines morphology under open‐source three‐dimensional reconstruction procedures. J Comp Neurol 2022; 531:344-365. [PMID: 36355397 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Visualizing nerve cells has been fundamental for the systematic description of brain structure and function in humans and other species. Different approaches aimed to unravel the morphological features of neuron types and diversity. The inherent complexity of the human nervous tissue and the need for proper histological processing have made studying human dendrites and spines challenging in postmortem samples. In this study, we used Golgi data and open-source software for 3D image reconstruction of human neurons from the cortical amygdaloid nucleus to show different dendrites and pleomorphic spines at different angles. Procedures required minimal equipment and generated high-quality images for differently shaped cells. We used the "single-section" Golgi method adapted for the human brain to engender 3D reconstructed images of the neuronal cell body and the dendritic ramification by adopting a neuronal tracing procedure. In addition, we elaborated 3D reconstructions to visualize heterogeneous dendritic spines using a supervised machine learning-based algorithm for image segmentation. These tools provided an additional upgrade and enhanced visual display of information related to the spatial orientation of dendritic branches and for dendritic spines of varied sizes and shapes in these human subcortical neurons. This same approach can be adapted for other techniques, areas of the central or peripheral nervous system, and comparative analysis between species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kétlyn T. Knak Guerra
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Josué Renner
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre Porto Alegre Brazil
- Graduate Program in Biosciences Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Carlos E. Vásquez
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Alberto A. Rasia‐Filho
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre Brazil
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre Porto Alegre Brazil
- Graduate Program in Biosciences Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre Porto Alegre Brazil
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Walker CK, Greathouse KM, Liu E, Muhammad HM, Boros BD, Freeman CD, Seo JV, Herskowitz JH. Comparison of Golgi-Cox and Intracellular Loading of Lucifer Yellow for Dendritic Spine Density and Morphology Analysis in the Mouse Brain. Neuroscience 2022; 498:1-18. [PMID: 35752428 PMCID: PMC9420811 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Dendritic spines are small protrusions on dendrites that serve as the postsynaptic site of the majority of excitatory synapses. These structures are important for normal synaptic transmission, and alterations in their density and morphology have been documented in various disease states. Over 130 years ago, Ramón y Cajal used Golgi-stained tissue sections to study dendritic morphology. Despite the array of technological advances, including iontophoretic microinjection of Lucifer yellow (LY) fluorescent dye, Golgi staining continues to be one of the most popular approaches to visualize dendritic spines. Here, we compared dendritic spine density and morphology among pyramidal neurons in layers 2/3 of the mouse medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and pyramidal neurons in hippocampal CA1 using three-dimensional digital reconstructions of (1) brightfield microscopy z-stacks of Golgi-impregnated dendrites and (2) confocal microscopy z-stacks of LY-filled dendrites. Analysis of spine density revealed that the LY microinjection approach enabled detection of approximately three times as many spines as the Golgi staining approach in both brain regions. Spine volume measurements were larger using Golgi staining compared to LY microinjection in both mPFC and CA1. Spine length was mostly comparable between techniques in both regions. In the mPFC, head diameter was similar for Golgi staining and LY microinjection. However, in CA1, head diameter was approximately 50% smaller on LY-filled dendrites compared to Golgi staining. These results indicate that Golgi staining and LY microinjection yield different spine density and morphology measurements, with Golgi staining failing to detect dendritic spines and overestimating spine size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney K Walker
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Kelsey M Greathouse
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Evan Liu
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Hamad M Muhammad
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Benjamin D Boros
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Cameron D Freeman
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Jung Vin Seo
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Jeremy H Herskowitz
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA.
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