title: Molecular anatomy of the thalamic complex and the underlying transcription factors.
abstract: Thalamocortical loops have been implicated in the control of higher-order cognitive functions, but advances in our understanding of the molecular underpinnings of neocortical organization have not been accompanied by similar analyses in the thalamus. Using expression-based correlation maps and the manual mapping of mouse and human datasets available in the Allen Brain Atlas, we identified a few individual regions and several sets of molecularly related nuclei that partially overlap with the classic grouping that is based on topographical localization and thalamocortical connections. These new molecular divisions of the adult thalamic complex are defined by the combinatorial expression of Tcf7l2, Lef1, Gbx2, Prox1, Pou4f1, Esrrg, and Six3 transcription factor genes. Further in silico and experimental analyses provided the evidence that TCF7L2 might be a pan-thalamic specifier. These results provide substantial insights into the "molecular logic" that underlies organization of the thalamic complex.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, 02-109, Poland.|Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, 00-927, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagalski
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy, University of Murcia and IMIB, Murcia, 30071, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Puelles
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Center of Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, 02-093, Poland.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dabrowski
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, 02-109, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wegierski
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, 02-109, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuznicki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, 02-109, Poland. m.wisniewska@cent.uw.edu.pl.|Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, 00-927, Poland. m.wisniewska@cent.uw.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Marta B
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1593-0361
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Wisniewska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001271:Atlases as Topic; D062126:Databases, Chemical; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051821:Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013787:Thalamic Nuclei / Q000378:metabolism*; D058118:Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050819:Transcription Factor Brn-3A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000097607:Homeobox Protein SIX3; D000098551:Prospero-Related Homeobox 1 Protein
chemical_list: D005136:Eye Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D051821:Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D058118:Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 Protein; D050819:Transcription Factor Brn-3A; D014157:Transcription Factors; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D000097607:Homeobox Protein SIX3; D000098551:Prospero-Related Homeobox 1 Protein; C490917:ESRRG protein, human; C084958:GBX2 protein, human; C497573:LEF1 protein, human; C494188:POU4F1 protein, human; C544894:TCF7L2 protein, human
keywords: Brain anatomy; Genoarchitecture; TCF7L2; Thalamus; Transcription factors