Konopka Lab
@konopkalab.bsky.social
Official Konopka Lab Account!
We're a group of spirited scientists exploring the genetic landscape of the evolved human brain.
@Los Angeles, CA, konopkalab.org
We're a group of spirited scientists exploring the genetic landscape of the evolved human brain.
@Los Angeles, CA, konopkalab.org
Thanks for the love! 🌟 Unfortunately, we don't have data from the ventral striatum at the moment, but who knows what the future holds? Always exciting to think about the possibilities! 😄
April 23, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Thanks for the love! 🌟 Unfortunately, we don't have data from the ventral striatum at the moment, but who knows what the future holds? Always exciting to think about the possibilities! 😄
8/
🧪 Combining snRNA-seq + smFISH + cross-species comparisons + cross region comparisons = powerful insights into mammalian striatum evolution.
🧵Thanks for reading!
🧪 Combining snRNA-seq + smFISH + cross-species comparisons + cross region comparisons = powerful insights into mammalian striatum evolution.
🧵Thanks for reading!
April 22, 2025 at 5:32 PM
8/
🧪 Combining snRNA-seq + smFISH + cross-species comparisons + cross region comparisons = powerful insights into mammalian striatum evolution.
🧵Thanks for reading!
🧪 Combining snRNA-seq + smFISH + cross-species comparisons + cross region comparisons = powerful insights into mammalian striatum evolution.
🧵Thanks for reading!
7/
Takeaways:
🧠 Our findings underscore the importance of including a diverse array of species and brain regions when uncovering novel cell types and examining cellular abundance variations which may lead to species-specific behaviors.
Takeaways:
🧠 Our findings underscore the importance of including a diverse array of species and brain regions when uncovering novel cell types and examining cellular abundance variations which may lead to species-specific behaviors.
April 22, 2025 at 5:32 PM
7/
Takeaways:
🧠 Our findings underscore the importance of including a diverse array of species and brain regions when uncovering novel cell types and examining cellular abundance variations which may lead to species-specific behaviors.
Takeaways:
🧠 Our findings underscore the importance of including a diverse array of species and brain regions when uncovering novel cell types and examining cellular abundance variations which may lead to species-specific behaviors.
6/
We’re sharing the first snRNA-seq datasets from:
🐵 Chimpanzee CN (n=4) + Pu (n=6)
🦇 Bat (Phyllostomus discolor) CN + Pu (n=4 each)
Available to the neuroscience community! 🌍
We’re sharing the first snRNA-seq datasets from:
🐵 Chimpanzee CN (n=4) + Pu (n=6)
🦇 Bat (Phyllostomus discolor) CN + Pu (n=4 each)
Available to the neuroscience community! 🌍
April 22, 2025 at 5:32 PM
6/
We’re sharing the first snRNA-seq datasets from:
🐵 Chimpanzee CN (n=4) + Pu (n=6)
🦇 Bat (Phyllostomus discolor) CN + Pu (n=4 each)
Available to the neuroscience community! 🌍
We’re sharing the first snRNA-seq datasets from:
🐵 Chimpanzee CN (n=4) + Pu (n=6)
🦇 Bat (Phyllostomus discolor) CN + Pu (n=4 each)
Available to the neuroscience community! 🌍
5/
Uncovered species-specific differences in interneuron cell type abundance:
PDGFD PTHLH PVALB– interneurons = primarily found in primates 🐒
PDGFD PTHLH PVALB+ interneurons = primarily found in non-primates 🦇🐭🦦
Evolutionary divergence in PVALB expression within striatal interneurons!
Uncovered species-specific differences in interneuron cell type abundance:
PDGFD PTHLH PVALB– interneurons = primarily found in primates 🐒
PDGFD PTHLH PVALB+ interneurons = primarily found in non-primates 🦇🐭🦦
Evolutionary divergence in PVALB expression within striatal interneurons!
April 22, 2025 at 5:32 PM
5/
Uncovered species-specific differences in interneuron cell type abundance:
PDGFD PTHLH PVALB– interneurons = primarily found in primates 🐒
PDGFD PTHLH PVALB+ interneurons = primarily found in non-primates 🦇🐭🦦
Evolutionary divergence in PVALB expression within striatal interneurons!
Uncovered species-specific differences in interneuron cell type abundance:
PDGFD PTHLH PVALB– interneurons = primarily found in primates 🐒
PDGFD PTHLH PVALB+ interneurons = primarily found in non-primates 🦇🐭🦦
Evolutionary divergence in PVALB expression within striatal interneurons!
4/
🦇 Having analyzed bat (Phyllostomus discolor) CN and Pu snRNA-seq separately we observed:
🔍 Significant neuron-to-glia ratio differences between CN and Pu.
📌2 novel bat interneuron types in Pu which may account for species-specific behavior:
🔹 LMO3 expressing
🔹 FOXP2 and TSHZ2 expressing
🦇 Having analyzed bat (Phyllostomus discolor) CN and Pu snRNA-seq separately we observed:
🔍 Significant neuron-to-glia ratio differences between CN and Pu.
📌2 novel bat interneuron types in Pu which may account for species-specific behavior:
🔹 LMO3 expressing
🔹 FOXP2 and TSHZ2 expressing
April 22, 2025 at 5:32 PM
4/
🦇 Having analyzed bat (Phyllostomus discolor) CN and Pu snRNA-seq separately we observed:
🔍 Significant neuron-to-glia ratio differences between CN and Pu.
📌2 novel bat interneuron types in Pu which may account for species-specific behavior:
🔹 LMO3 expressing
🔹 FOXP2 and TSHZ2 expressing
🦇 Having analyzed bat (Phyllostomus discolor) CN and Pu snRNA-seq separately we observed:
🔍 Significant neuron-to-glia ratio differences between CN and Pu.
📌2 novel bat interneuron types in Pu which may account for species-specific behavior:
🔹 LMO3 expressing
🔹 FOXP2 and TSHZ2 expressing
3/
🤯 Across ~94 million years of evolution, we found shared molecular markers for eccentric spiny neurons (eSPNs) in both primates 🐒 and non-primates 🐭🦦🦇.
These conserved markers suggest that eSPNs are a core striatal feature, as previously shown in mouse, not a recent innovation.
🤯 Across ~94 million years of evolution, we found shared molecular markers for eccentric spiny neurons (eSPNs) in both primates 🐒 and non-primates 🐭🦦🦇.
These conserved markers suggest that eSPNs are a core striatal feature, as previously shown in mouse, not a recent innovation.
April 22, 2025 at 5:32 PM
3/
🤯 Across ~94 million years of evolution, we found shared molecular markers for eccentric spiny neurons (eSPNs) in both primates 🐒 and non-primates 🐭🦦🦇.
These conserved markers suggest that eSPNs are a core striatal feature, as previously shown in mouse, not a recent innovation.
🤯 Across ~94 million years of evolution, we found shared molecular markers for eccentric spiny neurons (eSPNs) in both primates 🐒 and non-primates 🐭🦦🦇.
These conserved markers suggest that eSPNs are a core striatal feature, as previously shown in mouse, not a recent innovation.
2/
Eccentric spiny neurons (eSPNs):
Found in lower proportions among SPNs in non-primates 🐭🦦🦇.
In primates, higher eSPN prevalence may support advanced cognitive functions and complex behaviors.
✅ Again, validated with smFISH. 🔬
Eccentric spiny neurons (eSPNs):
Found in lower proportions among SPNs in non-primates 🐭🦦🦇.
In primates, higher eSPN prevalence may support advanced cognitive functions and complex behaviors.
✅ Again, validated with smFISH. 🔬
April 22, 2025 at 5:32 PM
2/
Eccentric spiny neurons (eSPNs):
Found in lower proportions among SPNs in non-primates 🐭🦦🦇.
In primates, higher eSPN prevalence may support advanced cognitive functions and complex behaviors.
✅ Again, validated with smFISH. 🔬
Eccentric spiny neurons (eSPNs):
Found in lower proportions among SPNs in non-primates 🐭🦦🦇.
In primates, higher eSPN prevalence may support advanced cognitive functions and complex behaviors.
✅ Again, validated with smFISH. 🔬
1/
In primates, the CN shows lower neuron-to-glia ratios vs. non-primates.
This matches known allometric scaling of neuron density in larger brains
🧠 Bigger brains = ↓ neuron density but relatively stable glial density.
(See: Hirter et al. 2021, Herculano-Houzel 2014)
✅ Confirmed with smFISH. 🔬
In primates, the CN shows lower neuron-to-glia ratios vs. non-primates.
This matches known allometric scaling of neuron density in larger brains
🧠 Bigger brains = ↓ neuron density but relatively stable glial density.
(See: Hirter et al. 2021, Herculano-Houzel 2014)
✅ Confirmed with smFISH. 🔬
April 22, 2025 at 5:32 PM
1/
In primates, the CN shows lower neuron-to-glia ratios vs. non-primates.
This matches known allometric scaling of neuron density in larger brains
🧠 Bigger brains = ↓ neuron density but relatively stable glial density.
(See: Hirter et al. 2021, Herculano-Houzel 2014)
✅ Confirmed with smFISH. 🔬
In primates, the CN shows lower neuron-to-glia ratios vs. non-primates.
This matches known allometric scaling of neuron density in larger brains
🧠 Bigger brains = ↓ neuron density but relatively stable glial density.
(See: Hirter et al. 2021, Herculano-Houzel 2014)
✅ Confirmed with smFISH. 🔬
We generated new snRNA-seq data from primates 🐒, and bats 🦇 as well as used other data from marmosets and non-primates 🐭🦦 from the caudate nucleus (CN) and putamen (Pu) (caudoputamen for mouse), uncovering fascinating differences in cell types and ratios. Let’s dive in! 👇
April 22, 2025 at 5:32 PM
We generated new snRNA-seq data from primates 🐒, and bats 🦇 as well as used other data from marmosets and non-primates 🐭🦦 from the caudate nucleus (CN) and putamen (Pu) (caudoputamen for mouse), uncovering fascinating differences in cell types and ratios. Let’s dive in! 👇
Hi Cedric! Thank you for highlighting our work! Stay posted for more cool studies from our lab!
April 22, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Hi Cedric! Thank you for highlighting our work! Stay posted for more cool studies from our lab!