A prenatal window for enhancing spatial resolution of cortical barrel maps
Abstract Precise mapping of peripheral inputs onto cortical areas is essential for accurate sensory processing. In the mouse primary somatosensory cortex, mystacial whiskers correspond to large, well-defined barrels, while upper lip whiskers form smaller, less distinct barrels. These differences are...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57052-w |
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| author | Mar Aníbal-Martínez Lorenzo Puche-Aroca Elena Pérez-Montoyo Gabriele Pumo M. Pilar Madrigal Luis M. Rodríguez-Malmierca Francisco J. Martini Filippo M. Rijli Guillermina López-Bendito |
| author_facet | Mar Aníbal-Martínez Lorenzo Puche-Aroca Elena Pérez-Montoyo Gabriele Pumo M. Pilar Madrigal Luis M. Rodríguez-Malmierca Francisco J. Martini Filippo M. Rijli Guillermina López-Bendito |
| author_sort | Mar Aníbal-Martínez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Precise mapping of peripheral inputs onto cortical areas is essential for accurate sensory processing. In the mouse primary somatosensory cortex, mystacial whiskers correspond to large, well-defined barrels, while upper lip whiskers form smaller, less distinct barrels. These differences are traditionally attributed to variations in whisker input type and receptor density, but prenatal activity and transcriptional programs also impact somatosensory map development independently of sensory experience. Here, we demonstrate that prenatal ablation of mystacial whiskers leads to a remapping of cortical territories, enhancing the functional and anatomical definition of upper lip whisker barrels. This reorganization occurs without altering peripheral receptor types. Instead, thalamic neurons that receive upper lip inputs adopt a mystacial-like transcriptional profile. Our findings unveil a regulated prenatal mechanism in the thalamus that ensures sufficient cortical barrel size and spatial resolution for sensory processing, irrespective of peripheral receptor type or density, highlighting a critical developmental process in sensory mapping. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e308bb65de7149acad9d9e82961d3bd7 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-e308bb65de7149acad9d9e82961d3bd72025-08-20T01:57:45ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-03-0116111710.1038/s41467-025-57052-wA prenatal window for enhancing spatial resolution of cortical barrel mapsMar Aníbal-Martínez0Lorenzo Puche-Aroca1Elena Pérez-Montoyo2Gabriele Pumo3M. Pilar Madrigal4Luis M. Rodríguez-Malmierca5Francisco J. Martini6Filippo M. Rijli7Guillermina López-Bendito8Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), San Juan de AlicanteInstituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), San Juan de AlicanteInstituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), San Juan de AlicanteFriedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Fabrikstrasse 24Departamento de Histología y Anatomía, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Miguel Hernández (UMH), San Juan de AlicanteInstituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), San Juan de AlicanteInstituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), San Juan de AlicanteFriedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Fabrikstrasse 24Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), San Juan de AlicanteAbstract Precise mapping of peripheral inputs onto cortical areas is essential for accurate sensory processing. In the mouse primary somatosensory cortex, mystacial whiskers correspond to large, well-defined barrels, while upper lip whiskers form smaller, less distinct barrels. These differences are traditionally attributed to variations in whisker input type and receptor density, but prenatal activity and transcriptional programs also impact somatosensory map development independently of sensory experience. Here, we demonstrate that prenatal ablation of mystacial whiskers leads to a remapping of cortical territories, enhancing the functional and anatomical definition of upper lip whisker barrels. This reorganization occurs without altering peripheral receptor types. Instead, thalamic neurons that receive upper lip inputs adopt a mystacial-like transcriptional profile. Our findings unveil a regulated prenatal mechanism in the thalamus that ensures sufficient cortical barrel size and spatial resolution for sensory processing, irrespective of peripheral receptor type or density, highlighting a critical developmental process in sensory mapping.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57052-w |
| spellingShingle | Mar Aníbal-Martínez Lorenzo Puche-Aroca Elena Pérez-Montoyo Gabriele Pumo M. Pilar Madrigal Luis M. Rodríguez-Malmierca Francisco J. Martini Filippo M. Rijli Guillermina López-Bendito A prenatal window for enhancing spatial resolution of cortical barrel maps Nature Communications |
| title | A prenatal window for enhancing spatial resolution of cortical barrel maps |
| title_full | A prenatal window for enhancing spatial resolution of cortical barrel maps |
| title_fullStr | A prenatal window for enhancing spatial resolution of cortical barrel maps |
| title_full_unstemmed | A prenatal window for enhancing spatial resolution of cortical barrel maps |
| title_short | A prenatal window for enhancing spatial resolution of cortical barrel maps |
| title_sort | prenatal window for enhancing spatial resolution of cortical barrel maps |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57052-w |
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