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Updated: Aug 14, 2025

Primary Culture of Mouse Dopaminergic Neurons
Published on: September 8, 2014
Development, wiring and function of dopamine neuron subtypes
Oxana Garritsen1, Eljo Y van Battum1, Laurens M Grossouw1
1Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Abstract:
The midbrain dopamine (mDA) system is composed of molecularly and functionally distinct neuron subtypes that mediate specific behaviours and are linked to various brain diseases. Considerable progress has been made in identifying mDA neuron subtypes, and recent work has begun to unveil how these neuronal subtypes develop and organize into functional brain structures. This progress is important for further understanding the disparate physiological functions of mDA neurons and their selective vulnerability in disease, and will ultimately accelerate therapy development. This Review discusses recent advances in our understanding of molecularly defined mDA neuron subtypes and their circuits, ranging from early developmental events, such as neuron migration and axon guidance, to their wiring and function, and future implications for therapeutic strategies.
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