A temporal cortex cell atlas highlights gene expression dynamics during human brain maturation
The human brain undergoes protracted postnatal maturation, guided by dynamic changes in gene expression. Most studies exploring these processes have used bulk tissue analyses, which mask cell-type-specific gene expression dynamics. Here, using single-nucleus RNA sequencing on temporal lobe tissue, including samples of African ancestry, we build a joint pediatric and adult atlas of 75 cell subtypes, which we verify with spatial transcriptomics. We explore the differences between pediatric and adult cell subtypes, revealing the genes and pathways that change during brain maturation. Our results highlight excitatory neuron subtypes, including the LTK and FREM subtypes, that show elevated expression of genes associated with cognition and synaptic plasticity in pediatric tissue. The resources we present here improve our understanding of the brain during its development and contribute to global efforts to build an inclusive brain cell map.
Authors
- Jessica More (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7088-3895)
- Nico Enslin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6384-7781)
- Anthony Figaji (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3357-6490)
- Christina Steyn (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8365-4928)
- Chris G. Dulla (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6560-6535)
- Matthijs B Verhoog (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8500-1795)
- Tatjana Sauka‐Spengler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9289-0263)
- Sadi Quiñones
- Maria Greco (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1404-6937)
- Joseph V. Raimondo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8266-3128)
- Ursula K. Rohlwink (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4469-4935)
- Muazzam Jacobs (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7403-4604)
- Roger Melvill
- Dorit Hockman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2613-6216)
- Ruvimbo D Mishi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8166-1155)
- Stephanie Fillmore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3647-0085)
- James Butler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1978-6894)
Institutions
- National Health Laboratory Service (ZA)
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research (US)
- Tufts University (US)
- University of Cape Town (ZA)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Genetics
- Published
- 2024-11-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-024-01990-6
- Citations
- 8
- Primary Topic
- Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.87
Funders
- European Molecular Biology Organization
- Royal Society
- National Research Foundation
- Claude Leon Foundation
- Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst
- Harry Crossley Foundation
- University of Cape Town
- Ernest Oppenheimer Memorial Trust
- National Institutes of Health