Image released by Allen Institute based in Seattle, the United States, shows detailed classification and distribution of cell types in the entire mouse brain based on the expression of their genes. (Credit: Allen Institute)
The cell atlas lays the foundation for the development of a new generation of precision therapeutics for people with mental and neurological disorders of the brain, said the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- For the first time ever, an international team of researchers has created a complete cell atlas of a whole mammalian brain, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) said on Wednesday.
This atlas serves as a map for the mouse brain, describing the type, location, and molecular information of more than 32 million cells and providing information on connectivity between these cells.
The mouse is the most commonly used vertebrate experimental model in neuroscience research, and this cellular map paves the way for a greater understanding of the human brain, according to the NIH.
The cell atlas also lays the foundation for the development of a new generation of precision therapeutics for people with mental and neurological disorders of the brain, said the NIH.
The findings were published Wednesday in a collection of 10 papers in Nature.
"The mouse atlas has brought the intricate network of mammalian brain cells into unprecedented focus, giving researchers the details needed to understand human brain function and diseases," said Joshua Gordon, director of the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health, part of the NIH. ■