biostudies-literatureZhao PNSFC135https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10245412biostudies-literatureUnknown21(1)<h4>Background</h4>Based on their anatomical location, rostral projections of nuclei are classified as ascending circuits, while caudal projections are classified as descending circuits. Upper brainstem neurons participate in complex information processing and specific sub-populations preferentially project to participating ascending or descending circuits. Cholinergic neurons in the upper brainstem have extensive collateralizations in both ascending and descending circuits; however, their single-cell projection patterns remain unclear because of the lack of comprehensive characterization of individual neurons.<h4>Results</h4>By combining fluorescent micro-optical sectional tomography with sparse labeling, we acquired a high-resolution whole-brain dataset of pontine-tegmental cholinergic nBMC biologyUpper brainstem cholinergic neurons project to ascending and descending circuits.PMC10245412321924123187108861890953Li XZhao PJia XLi AJiang TWang HGong HfalseUpper brainstem cholinergic neurons project to ascending and descending circuits.<h4>Background</h4>Based on their anatomical location, rostral projections of nuclei are classified as ascending circuits, while caudal projections are classified as descending circuits. Upper brainstem neurons participate in complex information processing and specific sub-populations preferentially project to participating ascending or descending circuits. Cholinergic neurons in the upper brainstem have extensive collateralizations in both ascending and descending circuits; however, their single-cell projection patterns remain unclear because of the lack of comprehensive characterization of individual neurons.<h4>Results</h4>By combining fluorescent micro-optical sectional tomography with sparse labeling, we acquired a high-resolution whole-brain dataset of pontine-tegmental cholinergic n2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Jun2025-04-04T08:06:53.26Z2025-04-04T08:06:53.26ZS-EPMC102454123728058010.1186/s12915-023-01625-y