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Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex
Published on: September 5, 2018
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Comparative transcriptomics reveals human-specific cortical features
Nikolas L Jorstad1, Janet H T Song2,3,4,5, David Exposito-Alonso2,3,4,5
1Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|October 12, 2023
Summary
Human brain evolution reveals few genetic changes define distinct cognitive abilities. Comparative transcriptomics shows minimal gene expression differences in adult human neocortex compared to other primates.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Evolutionary Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Human cognitive abilities are unique, but the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms remain unclear.
- Understanding primate brain evolution requires comparative analysis of neural tissues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify human-specific molecular and cellular features of the neocortex.
- To investigate the evolutionary trajectory of neural cell types and gene expression in the human lineage.
Main Methods:
- Comparative single-nucleus transcriptomics.
- Analysis of middle temporal gyrus (MTG) samples from humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, rhesus macaques, and marmosets.
- Examination of cell-type composition, laminar organization, and gene expression patterns.
Main Results:
- Human, chimpanzee, and gorilla MTG share similar cell composition and organization.
- A significant shift in deep-layer neuron proportions was observed in great apes compared to macaques and marmosets.
- Neuronal gene expression diverged more rapidly in the human lineage, with only a few hundred genes showing human-specific patterns.
Conclusions:
- Relatively few genetic and cellular changes distinguish the adult human neocortex.
- These subtle molecular differences may underlie distinct human cognitive functions.
- Comparative transcriptomics is a powerful tool for understanding primate brain evolution.
