Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, 98019, USA.
Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2021 Dec;71:100-109. doi: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.09.011. Epub 2021 Nov 11.
The primary function common to every neuron is communication with other neurons. Such cell-cell signaling can take numerous forms, including fast synaptic transmission and slower neuromodulation via secreted messengers, such as neuropeptides, dopamine, and many other diffusible small molecules. Individual neurons are quite diverse, however, in all particulars of both synaptic and neuromodulatory communication. Neuron classification schemes have therefore proven very useful in exploring the emergence of network function, behavior, and cognition from the communication functions of individual neurons. Recently published single-cell mRNA sequencing data and corresponding transcriptomic neuron classifications from turtle, songbird, mouse, and human provide evidence for a long evolutionary history and adaptive significance of localized peptidergic signaling. Across all four species, sets of at least twenty orthologous cognate pairs of neuropeptide precursor protein and receptor genes are expressed in individually sparse but heavily overlapping patterns suggesting that all forebrain neuron types are densely interconnected by local peptidergic signals.
每个神经元的主要功能都是与其他神经元进行通信。这种细胞间的信号传递可以有多种形式，包括通过神经递质、多巴胺和许多其他可扩散的小分子等分泌信使进行快速的突触传递，以及通过较慢的神经调制。然而，单个神经元在突触和神经调制通讯的所有细节上都非常多样化。因此，神经元分类方案在探索从单个神经元的通讯功能中涌现出的网络功能、行为和认知方面非常有用。最近发表的来自龟、鸣禽、小鼠和人类的单细胞 mRNA 测序数据和相应的转录组神经元分类为局部肽信号的长期进化历史和适应性意义提供了证据。在所有四个物种中，至少有二十对同源的神经肽前体蛋白和受体基因的同源基因在个体上稀疏但大量重叠的模式中表达，这表明所有的前脑神经元类型都通过局部肽信号紧密地相互连接。
