title: Toward Whole-Body Connectomics.
abstract: Recent advances in neuro-technologies have revolutionized knowledge of brain structure and functions. Governments and private organizations worldwide have initiated several large-scale brain connectome projects, to further understand how the brain works at the systems levels. Most recent projects focus on only brain neurons, with the exception of an early effort to reconstruct the 302 neurons that comprise the whole body of the small worm, Caenorhabditis elegans However, to fully elucidate the neural circuitry of complex behavior, it is crucial to understand brain interactions with the whole body, which can be achieved only by mapping the whole-body connectome. In this article, we discuss the current state of connectomics study, focusing on novel optical approaches and related imaging technologies. We also discuss the challenges encountered by scientists who endeavor to map these whole-body connectomes in large animals.
authors.affiliation: Brain Research Center, cclo@mx.nthu.edu.tw aschiang@life.nthu.edu.tw.|Institute of Systems Neuroscience.|Department of Life Science, and.
authors.forename: Chung-Chuan
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7737-7250
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.affiliation: Brain Research Center, cclo@mx.nthu.edu.tw aschiang@life.nthu.edu.tw.|Department of Life Science, and.|Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan.|Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.|Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.|Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan, and.|Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0126.
authors.forename: Ann-Shyn
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9668-7115
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Chiang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D063132:Connectome / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D051598:Whole Body Imaging / Q000379:methods*