Value Proposition
• Able to target specific populations of neurons in connectome profiling
• High-throughput projection mapping at the single-neuron level
• Can discriminate molecular or connectomic cell types among targeted neurons
• Sequencing-based approach enables fast and accurate results
Unmet Need
Understanding the mechanisms by which neurons establish their projection patterns and regulate cell-cell interactions in the brain is key to understanding mechanisms of neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental, and other neurological diseases. There are a number of methods available for axonal projection mapping, but each method is hindered by a unique combination of challenges including but not limited to the time and resources needed to employ them, the overall amount and types of cells that can be profiled, and ability to gain single cell versus bulk cell data. Therefore, there is a strong need for new projection mapping tools to be developed that address the current shortcomings in approaches and allow for a comprehensive mapping of the brain’s connectome.
Technology Description
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have developed a new version of MAPseq that allows single-cell projection mapping of specific cell types as defined by e.g. recombinase expression. The researchers also offer further improvements to MAPseq by optimizing the sequencing library preparation to capture fine projections in more neurons, achieving close to 4 times improved sensitivity with 6 times decreased cost per sample simultaneously. The technology has been validated in the mouse motor cortex and applied to uncover the brain-wide projections of midbrain dopaminergic neurons at single-cell resolution.
Stage of Development
Pre-clinical
Publication
Hyopil Kim, Cheng Xu, Craig Washington, Maggie Lowman, Justus M. Kebschull. “Cell type-specific barcoding reveals the projectional architecture of the mouse midbrain dopaminergic system” doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.06.25.661405
