Neuron types in brain are defined by gene activity shaping their communication patterns

(Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) In a major step forward, scientists at CSHLtoday publish a discovery about the molecular-genetic basis of neuronal cell types. Neurons are the basic building blocks that wire up brain circuits supporting mental activities and behavior. The study, which involves sophisticated computational analysis of the messages transcribed from genes that are active in a neuron, points to patterns of cell-to-cell communication as the core feature that makes possible rigorous distinctions among neuron types across the mouse brain.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news