猕猴前额叶皮层的单神经元项目揭示了精细的轴突靶向和树突化，这一成果由中国科学院脑科学与智能技术卓越创新中心严军研究团队经过不懈努力而取得。相关论文发表在2025年7月10日出版的《细胞》杂志上。

课题组人员重建了猕猴前额叶皮层（PFC）的2231个单神经元项目组，并确定了端脑内、锥体束和皮质丘脑神经元的32个基于项目组的亚型。每个亚型在PFC内的胞体分布中表现出不同的地形，轴突靶向的特征模式，以及靶区域特定的斑块状终末乔木化，并注释了假设的功能。

此外，课题组在PFC中发现了一个子域连接网络和广泛的局部轴突。与小鼠相比，猕猴PFC项目组在目标区域表现出相似的末端乔木的地形梯度，但目标特异性更高，侧枝更少，脑尺寸标准化乔木更小。他们的全脑单轴突猕猴项目组揭示了高度精细的轴突靶向和树突化，为了解灵长类动物复杂大脑功能的结构基础提供了关键见解。

研究人员表示，皮层扩张赋予灵长类动物高级认知功能，全脑单神经元投射分析有助于阐明潜在的神经回路机制。

附：英文原文

Title: Single-neuron projectomes of macaque prefrontal cortex reveal refined axon targeting and arborization

Author: Lingfeng Gou, Yanzhi Wang, Le Gao, Sang Liu, Mingli Wang, Qinwen Chai, Jiao Fang, Lijie Zhan, Xiaowen Shen, Tao Jiang, Wenqiang Ren, Miao Ren, Xueyan Jia, Chi Xiao, Anan Li, Xiangning Li, Qingming Luo, Gouki Okazawa, Tianming Yang, Zhen Liu, Mu-ming Poo, Xiaoquan Yang, Zhiming Shen, Chun Xu, Jun Yan

Issue&Volume: 2025/07/10

Abstract: Cortical expansion endows advanced cognitive functions in primates, and whole-brain single-neuron projection analysis helps to elucidate underlying neural circuit mechanisms. Here, we reconstructed 2,231 single-neuron projectomes for the macaque prefrontal cortex (PFC) and identified 32 projectome-based subtypes of intra-telencephalic, pyramidal-tract, and cortico-thalamic neurons. Each subtype exhibited distinct topography in their soma distribution within the PFC, a characteristic pattern of axon targeting, and subregion-specific patchy terminal arborization in the targeted area, with putative functions annotated. Furthermore, we identified a subdomain connectivity network and extensive local axons within the PFC. Compared with those in mice, macaque PFC projectomes exhibited a similar topographic gradient of terminal arborization at the targeted regions but much higher target specificity, fewer collaterals, and smaller brain size-normalized arbors. Thus, whole-brain single-axon macaque projectomes revealed highly refined axon targeting and arborization, providing key insights into the structural basis for complex brain functions in primates.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.06.005

Source: https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(25)00639-7