Functional Genomics of the Brain

 Functional Genomics of the Brain
 

The complexity of neural networks in the central nervous system is grossly underestimated. The systematic analysis of neuronal diversity with techniques such as the Golgi method has proved the existence of a large variety of morphological types of neurons. The function of these neurons and networks may emerge as a result of extracellular recordings in vivo (“top-down” approach), but the lack of knowledge about their properties and organization limits the ability to design appropriate experiments. An increase in our comprehension of the organization of the local circuits of the brain is thus needed. 

A “bottom-up” approach entails a description of the cell types that are components of a neural center, the identification of their chemical mediators, channels and receptors through functional genomics techniques, and an analysis of their synaptic connections. Critical genetic and physiological experiments are then designed to understand the cells’ functions5. 

Here we apply functional genomics to describe the expression profiling of selected populations of neurons by a combination of technologies:

1. Transgenic mice to selectively label the neuronal cell type of interest

2. Laser Capture Microdissection to purify cell types according to their labeling and anatomical localization

3. Gene expression profiling by using the Affymetrix platform and nanoCAGE technology coupled to second generation sequencing.

written by Stefano Gustincich  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.