biostudies-literatureTapia MFrench Ministry of ResearchAgence Nationale de la RechercheEuropean Research CouncilAgence Nationale de la Recherche (French National Research Agency)13637https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC6134142biostudies-literatureUnknown8(1)Most neuronal types have a well-identified electrical phenotype. It is now admitted that a same phenotype can be produced using multiple biophysical solutions defined by ion channel expression levels. This argues that systems-level approaches are necessary to understand electrical phenotype genesis and stability. Midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons, although quite heterogeneous, exhibit a characteristic electrical phenotype. However, the quantitative genetic principles underlying this conserved phenotype remain unknown. Here we investigated the quantitative relationships between ion channels' gene expression levels in midbrain DA neurons using single-cell microfluidic qPCR. Using multivariate mutual information analysis to decipher high-dimensional statistical dependences, we unravel co-varScientific reportsNeurotransmitter identity and electrophysiological phenotype are genetically coupled in midbrain dopaminergic neurons.PMC6134142Robustex616827Tapia MFormisano-Treziny CTemporal SMarqueze-Pouey BBaudot PLasserre MGabert JDufour MAKobayashi KGoaillard JMfalseNeurotransmitter identity and electrophysiological phenotype are genetically coupled in midbrain dopaminergic neurons.Most neuronal types have a well-identified electrical phenotype. It is now admitted that a same phenotype can be produced using multiple biophysical solutions defined by ion channel expression levels. This argues that systems-level approaches are necessary to understand electrical phenotype genesis and stability. Midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons, although quite heterogeneous, exhibit a characteristic electrical phenotype. However, the quantitative genetic principles underlying this conserved phenotype remain unknown. Here we investigated the quantitative relationships between ion channels' gene expression levels in midbrain DA neurons using single-cell microfluidic qPCR. Using multivariate mutual information analysis to decipher high-dimensional statistical dependences, we unravel co-var2018-01-01T00:00:00Z2018 Sep2026-06-16T05:13:58.777Z2019-03-26T23:55:59ZS-EPMC61341423020624010.1038/s41598-018-31765-z