Transplanted embryonic neurons integrate into adult neocortical circuits
Abstract
The ability of the adult mammalian brain to compensate for neuronal loss caused by injury or disease is very limited. Transplantation aims to replace lost neurons, but the extent to which new neurons can integrate into existing circuits is unknown. Here, using chronic in vivo two-photon imaging, we show that embryonic neurons transplanted into the visual cortex of adult mice mature into bona fide pyramidal cells with selective pruning of basal dendrites, achieving adult-like densities of dendritic spines and axonal boutons within 4-8 weeks. Monosynaptic tracing experiments reveal that grafted neurons receive area-specific, afferent inputs matching those of pyramidal neurons in the normal visual cortex, including topographically organized geniculo-cortical connections. Furthermore, stimulus-selective responses refine over the course of many weeks and finally become indistinguishable from those of host neurons. Thus, grafted neurons can integrate with great specificity into neocortical circuits that normally never incorporate new neurons in the adult brain.
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Mouse neurons transplanted in the mouse cortex mature in only a few weeks as the host cortical neurons.
“This is in stark contrast to mouse neurons transplanted in the mouse cortex, which mature in only a few weeks as the host cortical neurons”
From Xenotransplanted human cortical neurons reveal species-specific development and functional integration into mouse visual circuits (2019) · cites this paper as Falkner et al., 2016
Transplanted human neurons develop more slowly than similarly transplanted mouse neurons.
“transplanted human neurons develop more slowly than similarly transplanted mouse neurons”
From Xenotransplanted human cortical neurons reveal species-specific development and functional integration into mouse visual circuits (2019) · cites this paper as Falkner et al., 2016
Dendritic spines of transplanted human neurons follow a prolonged timeline that resembles the maturation time of human cortical neurons and that is largely intrinsic to these neurons, as they still display juvenile-like dynamic patterns at 3-6 MPT (e.g., in a mature mouse brain environment).
“These data support the notion that dendritic spines of transplanted human neurons follow a prolonged timeline that resembles the maturation time of human cortical neurons (Petanjek et al., 2011) and that is largely intrinsic to these neurons, as they still display juvenile-like dynamic patterns at 3–6 MPT (e.g., in a mature mouse brain environment)”
From Xenotransplanted human cortical neurons reveal species-specific development and functional integration into mouse visual circuits (2019) · cites this paper as Falkner et al., 2016
In our xenotransplantation assay, human cortical neurons show increasingly stable dendritic spine dynamics, comparable to juvenile mouse cortical neurons.
“These experiments revealed that in our xenotransplantation assay, human cortical neurons show increasingly stable dendritic spine dynamics, comparable to juvenile mouse cortical neurons”
From Xenotransplanted human cortical neurons reveal species-specific development and functional integration into mouse visual circuits (2019) · cites this paper as Falkner et al., 2016
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References 48 · Cited by 174
- Authors
- Falkner, S., Grade, S., Dimou, L., Conzelmann, K.-K., Bonhoeffer, T., Götz, M., & Hübener, M.
- Affiliations
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology (DE)
- Helmholtz Munich (DE)
- Max-von-Pettenkofer-Institut für Hygiene und Medizinische Mikrobiologie (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Götz, Magdalena
- Hübener, Mark
- ORCID
- Venue
- Nature
- Published
- 2016-10-26
- Volume
- 539
- Issue
- 7628
- Pages
- 248-253
- ISSN
- 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-4687
- OpenAlex
- W2542896373
- Cited by
- 174
- References
- 48
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 5
- FWCI
- 12.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Update notices
- erratum (2016-12-07)
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Nature (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Site cant be reached (submittedVersion)
- MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
- PuSH - Publication Server of Helmholtz Zentrum München (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
- Keywords
- visual cortex, pyramidal neurons, dendritic spine maturation, monosynaptic tracing, neuronal regeneration, brain injury repair, adult neurogenesis
- MeSH terms
- Afferent Pathways, Animals, Axons, Cell Differentiation, Efferent Pathways, Embryo, Mammalian, Neural Pathways, Neurons, Visual Cortex, Presynaptic Terminals, Pyramidal Cells, Neocortex, Dendritic Spines, Mice, Cell Tracking
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