Neuronal diversity and convergence in a visual system developmental atlas.

Deciphering how neuronal diversity is established and maintained requires a detailed knowledge of neuronal gene expression throughout development. In contrast to mammalian brains1,2, the large neuronal diversity of the Drosophila optic lobe3 and its connectome4-6 are almost completely characterized. However, a molecular characterization of this neuronal diversity, particularly during development, has been lacking. Here we present insights into brain development through a nearly complete description of the transcriptomic diversity of the optic lobes of Drosophila. We acquired the transcriptome of 275,000 single cells at adult and at five pupal stages, and built a machine-learning framework to assign them to almost 200 cell types at all time points during development. We discovered two large neuronal populations that wrap neuropils during development but die just before adulthood, as well as neuronal subtypes that partition dorsal and ventral visual circuits by differential Wnt signalling throughout development. Moreover, we show that the transcriptomes of neurons that are of the same type but are produced days apart become synchronized shortly after their production. During synaptogenesis we also resolved neuronal subtypes that, although differing greatly in morphology and connectivity, converge to indistinguishable transcriptomic profiles in adults. Our datasets almost completely account for the known neuronal diversity of the Drosophila optic lobes, and serve as a paradigm to understand brain development across species.

Temporal regulation of neural diversity in Drosophila and vertebrates.

The generation of neuronal diversity involves temporal patterning mechanisms by which a given progenitor sequentially produces multiple cell types. Several parallels are evident between the brain development programs of Drosophila and vertebrates, such as the successive emergence of specific cell types and the use of combinations of transcription factors to specify cell fates. Furthermore, cell-extrinsic cues such as hormones and signaling pathways have also been shown to be regulatory modules of temporal patterning. Recently, transcriptomic and epigenomic studies using large single-cell sequencing datasets have provided insights into the transcriptional dynamics of neurogenesis in the Drosophila and mammalian central nervous systems. We review these commonalities in the specification of neuronal identity and highlight the conserved or convergent strategies of brain development by discussing temporal patterning mechanisms found in flies and vertebrates.

Vaccine Efficacy in Adults in a Respiratory Syncytial Virus Challenge Study.

BACKGROUND: Although human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important cause of illness and death in older adults, no RSV vaccine has been licensed. METHODS: In a phase 2a study, we randomly assigned healthy adults (18 to 50 years of age), in a 1:1 ratio, to receive a single intramuscular injection of either bivalent prefusion F (RSVpreF) vaccine or placebo. Approximately 28 days after injection, participants were inoculated intranasally with the RSV A Memphis 37b challenge virus and observed for 12 days. The per-protocol prespecified primary end points were the following: reverse-transcriptase-quantitative polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-qPCR)-confirmed detectable RSV infection on at least 2 consecutive days with at least one clinical symptom of any grade from two categories or at least one grade 2 symptom from any category, the total symptom score from day 1 to discharge, and the area under the curve (AUC) for the RSV viral load in nasal-wash samples measured by means of RT-qPCR from day 2 after challenge to discharge. In addition, we assessed immunogenicity and safety. RESULTS: After participants were inoculated with the challenge virus, vaccine efficacy of 86.7% (95% CI, 53.8 to 96.5) was observed for symptomatic RSV infection confirmed by any detectable viral RNA on at least 2 consecutive days. The median AUC for the RSV viral load (hours × log10 copies per milliliter) as measured by RT-qPCR assay was 0.0 (interquartile range, 0.0 to 19.0) in the vaccine group and 96.7 (interquartile range, 0.0 to 675.3) in the placebo group. The geometric mean factor increase from baseline in RSV A-neutralizing titers 28 days after injection was 20.5 (95% CI, 16.6 to 25.3) in the vaccine group and 1.1 (95% CI, 0.9 to 1.3) in the placebo group. More local injection-site pain was noted in the vaccine group than in the placebo group. No serious adverse events were observed in either group. CONCLUSIONS: RSVpreF vaccine was effective against symptomatic RSV infection and viral shedding. No evident safety concerns were identified. These findings provide support for further evaluation of RSVpreF vaccine in a phase 3 efficacy study. (Funded by Pfizer; EudraCT number, 2020-003887-21; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04785612.).

Molecular Fingerprinting of On-Off Direction-Selective Retinal Ganglion Cells Across Species and Relevance to Primate Visual Circuits.

The ability to detect moving objects is an ethologically salient function. Direction-selective neurons have been identified in the retina, thalamus, and cortex of many species, but their homology has remained unclear. For instance, it is unknown whether direction-selective retinal ganglion cells (DSGCs) exist in primates and, if so, whether they are the equivalent to mouse and rabbit DSGCs. Here, we used a molecular/circuit approach in both sexes to address these issues. In mice, we identify the transcription factor Satb2 (special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2) as a selective marker for three RGC types: On-Off DSGCs encoding motion in either the anterior or posterior direction, a newly identified type of Off-DSGC, and an Off-sustained RGC type. In rabbits, we find that expression of Satb2 is conserved in On-Off DSGCs; however, it has evolved to include On-Off DSGCs encoding upward and downward motion in addition to anterior and posterior motion. Next, we show that macaque RGCs express Satb2 most likely in a single type. We used rabies virus-based circuit-mapping tools to reveal the identity of macaque Satb2-RGCs and discovered that their dendritic arbors are relatively large and monostratified. Together, these data indicate Satb2-expressing On-Off DSGCs are likely not present in the primate retina. Moreover, if DSGCs are present in the primate retina, it is unlikely that they express Satb2.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The ability to detect object motion is a fundamental feature of almost all visual systems. Here, we identify a novel marker for retinal ganglion cells encoding directional motion that is evolutionarily conserved in mice and rabbits, but not in primates. We show in macaque monkeys that retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) that express this marker comprise a single type and are morphologically distinct from mouse and rabbit direction-selective RGCs. Our findings indicate that On-Off direction-selective retinal neurons may have evolutionarily diverged in primates and more generally provide novel insight into the identity and organization of primate parallel visual pathways.

A dedicated circuit links direction-selective retinal ganglion cells to the primary visual cortex.

How specific features in the environment are represented within the brain is an important unanswered question in neuroscience. A subset of retinal neurons, called direction-selective ganglion cells (DSGCs), are specialized for detecting motion along specific axes of the visual field. Despite extensive study of the retinal circuitry that endows DSGCs with their unique tuning properties, their downstream circuitry in the brain and thus their contribution to visual processing has remained unclear. In mice, several different types of DSGCs connect to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), the visual thalamic structure that harbours cortical relay neurons. Whether direction-selective information computed at the level of the retina is routed to cortical circuits and integrated with other visual channels, however, is unknown. Here we show that there is a di-synaptic circuit linking DSGCs with the superficial layers of the primary visual cortex (V1) by using viral trans-synaptic circuit mapping and functional imaging of visually driven calcium signals in thalamocortical axons. This circuit pools information from several types of DSGCs, converges in a specialized subdivision of the dLGN, and delivers direction-tuned and orientation-tuned signals to superficial V1. Notably, this circuit is anatomically segregated from the retino-geniculo-cortical pathway carrying non-direction-tuned visual information to deeper layers of V1, such as layer 4. Thus, the mouse harbours several functionally specialized, parallel retino-geniculo-cortical pathways, one of which originates with retinal DSGCs and delivers direction- and orientation-tuned information specifically to the superficial layers of the primary visual cortex. These data provide evidence that direction and orientation selectivity of some V1 neurons may be influenced by the activation of DSGCs.

Characteristic patterns of dendritic remodeling in early-stage glaucoma: evidence from genetically identified retinal ganglion cell types.

Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss is a hallmark of glaucoma and the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. The type and timing of cellular changes leading to RGC loss in glaucoma remain incompletely understood, including whether specific RGC subtypes are preferentially impacted at early stages of this disease. Here we applied the microbead occlusion model of glaucoma to different transgenic mouse lines, each expressing green fluorescent protein in 1-2 specific RGC subtypes. Targeted filling, reconstruction, and subsequent comparison of the genetically identified RGCs in control and bead-injected eyes revealed that some subtypes undergo significant dendritic rearrangements as early as 7 d following induction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). By comparing specific On-type, On-Off-type and Off-type RGCs, we found that RGCs that target the majority of their dendritic arbors to the scleral half or "Off" sublamina of the inner plexiform layer (IPL) undergo the greatest changes, whereas RGCs with the majority of their dendrites in the On sublamina did not alter their structure at this time point. Moreover, M1 intrinsically photosensitive RGCs, which functionally are On RGCs but structurally stratify their dendrites in the Off sublamina of the IPL, also underwent significant changes in dendritic structure 1 week after elevated IOP. Thus, our findings reveal that certain RGC subtypes manifest significant changes in dendritic structure after very brief exposure to elevated IOP. The observation that RGCs stratifying most of their dendrites in the Off sublamina are first to alter their structure may inform the development of new strategies to detect, monitor, and treat glaucoma in humans.

Diverse visual features encoded in mouse lateral geniculate nucleus.

The thalamus is crucial in determining the sensory information conveyed to cortex. In the visual system, the thalamic lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) is generally thought to encode simple center-surround receptive fields, which are combined into more sophisticated features in cortex, such as orientation and direction selectivity. However, recent evidence suggests that a more diverse set of retinal ganglion cells projects to the LGN. We therefore used multisite extracellular recordings to define the repertoire of visual features represented in the LGN of mouse, an emerging model for visual processing. In addition to center-surround cells, we discovered a substantial population with more selective coding properties, including direction and orientation selectivity, as well as neurons that signal absence of contrast in a visual scene. The direction and orientation selective neurons were enriched in regions that match the termination zones of direction selective ganglion cells from the retina, suggesting a source for their tuning. Together, these data demonstrate that the mouse LGN contains a far more elaborate representation of the visual scene than current models posit. These findings should therefore have a significant impact on our understanding of the computations performed in mouse visual cortex.

Retinal input regulates the timing of corticogeniculate innervation.

Neurons in layer VI of visual cortex represent one of the largest sources of nonretinal input to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) and play a major role in modulating the gain of thalamic signal transmission. However, little is known about how and when these descending projections arrive and make functional connections with dLGN cells. Here we used a transgenic mouse to visualize corticogeniculate projections to examine the timing of cortical innervation in dLGN. Corticogeniculate innervation occurred at postnatal ages and was delayed compared with the arrival of retinal afferents. Cortical fibers began to enter dLGN at postnatal day 3 (P3) to P4, a time when retinogeniculate innervation is complete. However, cortical projections did not fully innervate dLGN until eye opening (P12), well after the time when retinal inputs from the two eyes segregate to form nonoverlapping eye-specific domains. In vitro thalamic slice recordings revealed that newly arriving cortical axons form functional connections with dLGN cells. However, adult-like responses that exhibited paired pulse facilitation did not fully emerge until 2 weeks of age. Finally, surgical or genetic elimination of retinal input greatly accelerated the rate of corticogeniculate innervation, with axons invading between P2 and P3 and fully innervating dLGN by P8 to P10. However, recordings in genetically deafferented mice showed that corticogeniculate synapses continued to mature at the same rate as controls. These studies suggest that retinal and cortical innervation of dLGN is highly coordinated and that input from retina plays an important role in regulating the rate of corticogeniculate innervation.

Genetic dissection of retinal inputs to brainstem nuclei controlling image stabilization.

When the head rotates, the image of the visual world slips across the retina. A dedicated set of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and brainstem visual nuclei termed the "accessory optic system" (AOS) generate slip-compensating eye movements that stabilize visual images on the retina and improve visual performance. Which types of RGCs project to each of the various AOS nuclei remain unresolved. Here we report a new transgenic mouse line, Hoxd10-GFP, in which the RGCs projecting to all the AOS nuclei are fluorescently labeled. Electrophysiological recordings of Hoxd10-GFP RGCs revealed that they include all three subtypes of On direction-selective RGCs (On-DSGCs), responding to upward, downward, or forward motion. Hoxd10-GFP RGCs also include one subtype of On-Off DSGCs tuned for forward motion. Retrograde circuit mapping with modified rabies viruses revealed that the On-DSGCs project to the brainstem centers involved in both horizontal and vertical retinal slip compensation. In contrast, the On-Off DSGCs labeled in Hoxd10-GFP mice projected to AOS nuclei controlling horizontal but not vertical image stabilization. Moreover, the forward tuned On-Off DSGCs appear physiologically and molecularly distinct from all previously genetically identified On-Off DSGCs. These data begin to clarify the cell types and circuits underlying image stabilization during self-motion, and they support an unexpected diversity of DSGC subtypes.

Transsynaptic tracing with vesicular stomatitis virus reveals novel retinal circuitry.

The use of neurotropic viruses as transsynaptic tracers was first described in the 1960s, but only recently have such viruses gained popularity as a method for labeling neural circuits. The development of retrograde monosynaptic tracing vectors has enabled visualization of the presynaptic sources onto defined sets of postsynaptic neurons. Here, we describe the first application of a novel viral tracer, based on vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), which directs retrograde transsynaptic viral spread between defined cell types. We use this virus in the mouse retina to show connectivity between starburst amacrine cells (SACs) and their known synaptic partners, direction-selective retinal ganglion cells, as well as to discover previously unknown connectivity between SACs and other retinal ganglion cell types. These novel connections were confirmed using physiological recordings. VSV transsynaptic tracing enables cell type-specific dissection of neural circuitry and can reveal synaptic relationships among neurons that are otherwise obscured due to the complexity and density of neuropil.

Morphologically distinct classes of relay cells exhibit regional preferences in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the mouse.

A fundamental feature of the mammalian visual system is the presence of separate channels that work in parallel to efficiently extract and analyze specific elements of a visual scene. Despite the extensive use of the mouse as a model system, it is not clear whether such parallel organization extends beyond the retina to subcortical structures, such as the dorsal lateral geniculate (dLGN) of thalamus. To begin to address this, we examined the morphology of biocytin-filled relay cells recorded in dLGN of mice. Based on a quantitative assessment of their dendritic architecture, we found that even at early postnatal ages relay cells could be readily classified as X-like (biconical), Y-like (symmetrical), or W-like (hemispheric) and that each cell type was regionally specified in dLGN. X-like cells were confined primarily to the monocular ventral region of dLGN. Y-like cells occupied a central core that also contained ipsilateral eye projections, whereas W-like cells were found along the perimeter of dLGN. Similar to cat, Y-like cells were more prevalent than X- and W-like cells, and X-like cells tended to be smaller than other cell types. However, the dendritic fields of X- and W-like cells did not exhibit an orientation bias with respect to optic tract or boundaries of dLGN. Although we found clear morphological differences among relay cells, an analysis of their electrophysiological properties did not reveal any additional distinguishing characteristics. Overall, these data coupled with recent observations in the retina suggest that the mouse has many of the hallmark features of a system-wide parallel organization.

Neurotoxic Reactive Astrocytes Drive Neuronal Death after Retinal Injury.

Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease that features the death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in the retina, often as a result of prolonged increases in intraocular pressure. We show that preventing the formation of neuroinflammatory reactive astrocytes prevents the death of RGCs normally seen in a mouse model of glaucoma. Furthermore, we show that these spared RGCs are electrophysiologically functional and thus still have potential value for the function and regeneration of the retina. Finally, we demonstrate that the death of RGCs depends on a combination of both an injury to the neurons and the presence of reactive astrocytes, suggesting a model that may explain why reactive astrocytes are toxic only in some circumstances. Altogether, these findings highlight reactive astrocytes as drivers of RGC death in a chronic neurodegenerative disease of the eye.

Sub-topographic maps for regionally enhanced analysis of visual space in the mouse retina.

In many species, neurons are unevenly distributed across the retina, leading to nonuniform analysis of specific visual features at certain locations in visual space. In recent years, the mouse has emerged as a premiere model for probing visual system function, development, and disease. Thus, achieving a detailed understanding of mouse visual circuit architecture is of paramount importance. The general belief is that mice possess a relatively even topographic distribution of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs)-the output neurons of the eye. However, mouse RGCs include ∼30 subtypes; each responds best to a specific feature in the visual scene and conveys that information to central targets. Given the crucial role of RGCs and the prominence of the mouse as a model, we asked how different RGC subtypes are distributed across the retina. We targeted and filled individual fluorescently tagged RGC subtypes from across the retinal surface and evaluated the dendritic arbor extent and soma size of each cell according to its specific retinotopic position. Three prominent RGC subtypes: On-Off direction selective RGCs, object-motion-sensitive RGCs, and a specialized subclass of nonimage-forming RGCs each had marked topographic variations in their dendritic arbor sizes. Moreover, the pattern of variation was distinct for each RGC subtype. Thus, there is increasing evidence that the mouse retina encodes visual space in a region-specific manner. As a consequence, some visual features are sampled far more densely at certain retinal locations than others. These findings have implications for central visual processing, perception, and behavior in this prominent model species.

Synaptic Convergence Patterns onto Retinal Ganglion Cells Are Preserved despite Topographic Variation in Pre- and Postsynaptic Territories.

Sensory processing can be tuned by a neuron's integration area, the types of inputs, and the proportion and number of connections with those inputs. Integration areas often vary topographically to sample space differentially across regions. Here, we highlight two visual circuits in which topographic changes in the postsynaptic retinal ganglion cell (RGC) dendritic territories and their presynaptic bipolar cell (BC) axonal territories are either matched or unmatched. Despite this difference, in both circuits, the proportion of inputs from each BC type, i.e., synaptic convergence between specific BCs and RGCs, remained constant across varying dendritic territory sizes. Furthermore, synapse density between BCs and RGCs was invariant across topography. Our results demonstrate a wiring design, likely engaging homotypic axonal tiling of BCs, that ensures consistency in synaptic convergence between specific BC types onto their target RGCs while enabling independent regulation of pre- and postsynaptic territory sizes and synapse number between cell pairs.

Developmental remodeling of relay cells in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus in the absence of retinal input.

BACKGROUND: The dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of the mouse has been an important experimental model for understanding thalamic circuit development. The developmental remodeling of retinal projections has been the primary focus, however much less is known about the maturation of their synaptic targets, the relay cells of the dLGN. Here we examined the growth and maturation of relay cells during the first few weeks of life and addressed whether early retinal innervation affects their development. To accomplish this we utilized the math5 null (math5 (-/-) ) mouse, a mutant lacking retinal ganglion cells and central projections. RESULTS: The absence of retinogeniculate axon innervation led to an overall shrinkage of dLGN and disrupted the pattern of dendritic growth among developing relay cells. 3-D reconstructions of biocytin filled neurons from math5 (-/-) mice showed that in the absence of retinal input relay cells undergo a period of exuberant dendritic growth and branching, followed by branch elimination and an overall attenuation in dendritic field size. However, math5 (-/-) relay cells retained a sufficient degree of complexity and class specificity, as well as their basic membrane properties and spike firing characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Retinal innervation plays an important trophic role in dLGN development. Additional support perhaps arising from non-retinal innervation and signaling is likely to contribute to the stabilization of their dendritic form and function.

Birthdate and outgrowth timing predict cellular mechanisms of axon target matching in the developing visual pathway.

How axons select their appropriate targets in the brain remains poorly understood. Here, we explore the cellular mechanisms of axon target matching in the developing visual system by comparing four transgenic mouse lines, each with a different population of genetically labeled retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) that connect to unique combinations of brain targets. We find that the time when an RGC axon arrives in the brain is correlated with its target selection strategy. Early-born, early-arriving RGC axons initially innervate multiple targets. Subsequently, most of those connections are removed. By contrast, later-born, later-arriving RGC axons are highly accurate in their initial target choices. These data reveal the diversity of cellular mechanisms that mammalian CNS axons use to pick their targets and highlight the key role of birthdate and outgrowth timing in influencing this precision. Timing-based mechanisms may underlie the assembly of the other sensory pathways and complex neural circuitry in the brain.