Transcriptomic and spatial GABAergic neuron subtypes in zona incerta mediate distinct innate behaviors.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the anatomical connection and behaviors of transcriptomic neuron subtypes is critical to delineating cell type-specific functions in the brain. Here we integrated single-nucleus transcriptomic sequencing, in vivo circuit mapping, optogenetic and chemogenetic approaches to dissect the molecular identity and function of heterogeneous GABAergic neuron populations in the zona incerta (ZI) in mice, a region involved in modulating various behaviors. By microdissecting ZI for transcriptomic and spatial gene expression analyses, our results revealed two non-overlapping Ecel1- and Pde11a-expressing GABAergic neurons with dominant expression in the rostral and medial zona incerta (ZIr^Ecel1 and ZIm^Pde11a), respectively. The GABAergic projection from ZIr^Ecel1</

SUBMITTER: Zhu M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11961626 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature