Signature morphoelectric properties of diverse GABAergic interneurons in the human neocortex

Human cortex transcriptomic studies have revealed a hierarchical organization of γ-aminobutyric acid-producing (GABAergic) neurons from subclasses to a high diversity of more granular types. Rapid GABAergic neuron viral genetic labeling plus Patch-seq (patch-clamp electrophysiology plus single-cell RNA sequencing) sampling in human brain slices was used to reliably target and analyze GABAergic neuron subclasses and individual transcriptomic types. This characterization elucidated transitions between PVALB and SST subclasses, revealed morphological heterogeneity within an abundant transcriptomic type, identified multiple spatially distinct types of the primate-specialized double bouquet cells (DBCs), and shed light on cellular differences between homologous mouse and human neocortical GABAergic neuron types. These results highlight the importance of multimodal phenotypic characterization for refinement of emerging transcriptomic cell type taxonomies and for understanding conserved and specialized cellular properties of human brain cell types.

Actin-associated proteins in ameloblast differentiation

Focal contacts are systems of adherens junctions of the cell-extracellular matrix type, which allow the transfer of fundamental signals from the extracellular matrix to nuclear compartments, capable of regulating adhesion, proliferation, migration and differentiation of cells. Recently, many authors have concentrated their attention on epitheliomesenchymal interactions which guide organogenesis of dental germ, identifying numerous growth and differentiation factors and having the inner enamel epithelial cells of the enamel organ as a target. Given that the two cellular compartments in their tooth germ are separated by a basal membrane and by an extracellular matrix, which touches it, we wanted to evaluate the presence of focal contacts through the identification of talin and vinculin, proteins of the actin-associated protein complex. In this study we utilized the hemimandibles of young Wistar rats and we extracted the related odontogenic tooth organs present at their apical end. Specimens are processed with antibody against vinculin and talin. Results show that these junctional system proteins are present at the apical poles of both cellular compartments suggesting that putative epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, other than marker molecules, may use focal contacts as a system for transmission of signals.