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Decoding the Transcriptome of Neuronal Circuits

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New Techniques in Systems Neuroscience

Part of the book series: Biological and Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering ((BIOMEDICAL))

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Abstract

Genomics is fostering broad discoveries across biological disciplines, including the neurosciences. However, the analysis of gene expression and gene regulation in the brain is complicated by the extraordinary cellular heterogeneity, complex connectivity, and dynamic physiology of the tissue. Indeed, one of the great challenges of modern neuroscience involves the functional and molecular classification of cells in the brain within the context of network connectivity. In parallel, a major area of focus in the field of genomics involves the development of technologies that can profile the transcriptome of single or small numbers of cells [38]. Thus, major objectives in these two fields are well aligned. Here, we review modern approaches for the analysis of gene expression at the cellular level in the brain. As detailed below, these new technologies involve both ex vivo genomics approaches and new and emerging technologies for in situ and in vivo imaging of molecules in the brain.

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  1. Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Paul J. Bonthuis & Christopher Gregg

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  1. Paul J. Bonthuis
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  2. Christopher Gregg
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Correspondence to Paul J. Bonthuis .

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  1. Dept. Of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

    Adam D. Douglass

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Bonthuis, P., Gregg, C. (2015). Decoding the Transcriptome of Neuronal Circuits. In: Douglass, A. (eds) New Techniques in Systems Neuroscience. Biological and Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12913-6_2

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