Cited by 219Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeural dynamics and brain functionNeurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 88 of the 88 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 43 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Four Unique Interneuron Populations Reside in Neocortical Layer 1

Open access
Schuman, Benjamin, Machold, Robert P., Hashikawa, Yoshiko, Fuzik, János, Fishell, Gord J., Rudy, Bernardo·2019·The Journal of Neuroscience

Abstract

Sensory perception depends on neocortical computations that contextually adjust sensory signals in different internal and environmental contexts. Neocortical layer 1 (L1) is the main target of cortical and subcortical inputs that provide “top-down” information for context-dependent sensory processing. Although L1 is devoid of excitatory cells, it contains the distal “tuft” dendrites of pyramidal cells (PCs) located in deeper layers. L1 also contains a poorly characterized population of GABAergic interneurons (INs), which regulate the impact that different top-down inputs have on PCs. A poor comprehension of L1 IN subtypes and how they affect PC activity has hampered our understanding of the mechanisms that underlie contextual modulation of sensory processing. We used novel genetic strategies in male and female mice combined with electrophysiological and morphological methods to help resolve differences that were unclear when using only electrophysiological and/or morphological approaches. We discovered that L1 contains four distinct populations of INs, each with a unique molecular profile, morphology, and electrophysiology, including a previously overlooked IN population (named here “canopy cells”) representing 40% of L1 INs. In contrast to what is observed in other layers, most L1 neurons appear to be unique to the layer, highlighting the specialized character of the signal processing that takes place in L1. This new understanding of INs in L1, as well as the application of genetic methods based on the markers described here, will enable investigation of the cellular and circuit mechanisms of top-down processing in L1 with unprecedented detail. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neocortical layer 1 (L1) is the main target of corticocortical and subcortical projections that mediate top-down or context-dependent sensory perception. However, this unique layer is often referred to as “enigmatic” because its neuronal composition has been difficult to determine. Using a combination of genetic, electrophysiological, and morphological approaches that helped to resolve differences that were unclear when using a single approach, we were able to decipher the neuronal composition of L1. We identified markers that distinguish L1 neurons and found that the layer contains four populations of GABAergic interneurons, each with unique molecular profiles, morphologies, and electrophysiological properties. These findings provide a new framework for studying the circuit mechanisms underlying the processing of top-down inputs in neocortical L1.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

Using genetic, electrophysiological, and morphological methods in mouse barrel cortex, this study identifies four distinct GABAergic interneuron populations in neocortical layer 1: NDNF/NPY NGFCs, NDNF/non-NPY canopy cells, α7 nAChR cells, and VIP cells. The previously overlooked canopy cells account for ~40% of L1 interneurons and differ from NGFCs in morphology and connectivity.

Key findings

  • L1 contains four molecularly defined interneuron populations: NDNF/NPY (NGFCs), NDNF/non-NPY (canopy cells), α7 nAChR cells, and VIP cells. NDNF labeling captured ~70% of L1 INs (66.8 ± 1.3%, n = 4 mice); NDNF/NPY cells were ~40% of the NDNF population (~30% of L1), NDNF/non-NPY cells ~60% (~40% of L1), and non-NDNF cells ~30% of L1, split into ~30% VIP (~10% of L1) and ~70% α7 cells (~20% of L1).
  • Electrophysiologically, NGFCs were late-spiking (time to first spike 750.1 ± 28.6 ms; adaptation index 1.01 ± 0.02), VIP cells had high input resistance (351.1 ± 21.1 MΩ) and strong adaptation (0.44 ± 0.05), and α7 cells had a prominent near-threshold depolarizing hump (17.3 ± 0.5 mV) and larger sag (21.5 ± 1.6%). Canopy cells were non-LS with moderate adaptation (0.83 ± 0.02).
  • Morphologically, NGFC and canopy axons were largely confined to L1, but canopy axons were biased to the upper half of L1 (L1a p = 3.3e-4; L1b p = 5.8e-4), whereas NGFC axons occupied the whole layer. α7 and VIP cells had descending collaterals; α7 cells were multipolar and VIP cells bipolar (p = 0.0047), with different soma sizes (p = 0.0012).
  • Connectivity differed: NGFC→L2 PC connection probability was 72% (13/18) versus 18% for canopy cells (8/45; p = 7.2e-5); NGFC IPSPs were larger (p = 7.6e-4) and had a significant GABA_B component (p = 0.031), while canopy IPSPs did not. NGFC→canopy IPSPs were stronger than canopy→NGFC IPSPs (p = 0.012).

Methods

  • Genetic labeling and histology in male and female mice (P21–P53; mean age P30.3 ± 0.3), using NPY-hrGFP, NDNF-ires-Cre, Htr3a-ires-Flpo, VIP/CCK lines, viral tdTomato reporter, FISH/IHC, and α-bungarotoxin labeling.
  • Whole-cell current-clamp recordings in barrel field of primary somatosensory cortex slices, with biocytin filling for post hoc morphology; paired recordings between L1 INs and L2 PCs; intrinsic properties measured from 1-s current injections.
  • Unsupervised cluster analysis (Ward’s method) on 82 cells using 11 electrophysiological parameters; statistics included Kruskal-Wallis with Dunn’s/Šidák correction, Mann-Whitney U, Fisher’s exact, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.

Limitations

  • Stated: further studies may reveal additional diversity within the described groups; it is not yet clear how transcriptomic clustering corresponds to specific functional cell properties; some comparative area data are not shown.
  • Stated/evident: some cells lacked complete electrophysiological analysis (n values are minimum), and cells could be used either for reconstructions or α-btx staining, not both; liquid junction potential was not corrected and cells with access resistance >35 MΩ were excluded.
  • Evident: findings are from in vitro mouse barrel cortex slices at P21–P53, so age/area generality and in vivo circuit or behavioral roles are not established here; no sex-specific analyses are reported despite use of male and female mice.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1523/jneurosci.1613-18.2018

Cites

88 of 88 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

78 Own result · 24 Not checked yet · 16 Own interpretation · 3 No basis given · 2 Own method

Verify all 43 references — free account

Show all 83 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 36
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 6
40 of 40
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The NDNF-ires-Cre driver line specifically labels NDNF-expressing L1 INs.

    “We then generated an NDNF-ires-Cre knock-in driver line (3Ј-UTR) and labeled NDNF-expressing INs via injection of a td-Tomato Cre reporter virus (AAV1.CAG.Flex.tdTomato.WPRE.bGH;Allen Institute 864) in the cortex.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The electrophysiological and morphological properties measured in acute slices reflect those of L1 INs in vivo.

    “We performed whole-cell current clamp recordings in coronal slices of barrel cortex to characterize the intrinsic electrophysiological properties of each L1 population (mice aged P21-P53; mean age Ϯ SEM ϭ P30.3 Ϯ 0.3).”
2 of 2

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Citations

Cites

Show all 88 references

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Items 201–219 of 219

Metadata

Authors
Schuman, B., Machold, R. P., Hashikawa, Y., Fuzik, J., Fishell, G. J., & Rudy, B.
Affiliations
  • New York University (US)
  • Harvard University (US)
Venue
The Journal of Neuroscience
Published
2018-11-09
Volume
39
Issue
1
Pages
125-139
ISSN
  • 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
  • 1529-2401
OpenAlex
W2900330446
Cited by
184
References
88
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 34 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 10
FWCI
7.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of Mental Health (UG3MH120096, T32MH096331, R37MH071679)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01NS107257, P01NS074972, R01NS110079, F31NS106793, R01NS081297)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
Keywords
GABAergic interneurons, interneuron subtypes, top-down processing, neuronal morphology, electrophysiological properties, corticocortical connections, sex differences
MeSH terms
Animals, Dendrites, Female, gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Interneurons, Male, Mice, Transgenic, Pyramidal Cells, Patch-Clamp Techniques, Neocortex, Mice, Electrophysiological Phenomena

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

A language model drew the claims from the paper on 2026-10-07, under version 3 of the claim definition (model deepseek-v4.1-flash, prompt extract-v3).

A second model labelled each claim on 2026-10-07 (model jev-1.13-20260917, definition revision gold-guideline-v0.2).

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review