A data repository and analysis framework for spontaneous neural activity recordings in developing retina

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Biology
• Computational Neuroscience

Background:

• Spontaneous neural firing is crucial during early development, exhibiting complex spatiotemporal patterns.
• Extensive research over 25 years has documented developmental changes and genetic influences on these activity patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a curated, accessible repository of multielectrode array recordings of spontaneous activity in developing mouse and ferret retina.
• To provide standardized data formats (HDF5) and metadata for enhanced data usability.
• To demonstrate reproducible research methods and data analysis within the CARMEN workflow system.

Main Methods:

• Curated collection and annotation of multielectrode array recordings.
• Data conversion to HDF5 format for standardization.
• Development of literate programming documents for data transparency and reproducibility.
• Integration with the CARMEN workflow system for analysis.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive repository of spontaneous retinal activity recordings is now available.
• The repository includes annotated data in HDF5 format.
• Examples of reproducible research and analysis using the CARMEN workflow are provided.

Conclusions:

• The repository is expected to foster novel analyses of spontaneous activity across different research labs.
• Encouragement for the addition of published data to expand the repository's scope.
• The repository serves as a model for long-term storage and reuse of multielectrode array recordings.