Biology subjects

Royall, J. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Royall, J. J..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Iterative co-creation of harmonized human and non-human primate cellular and structural ontologies and 3D common coordinate frameworks for the basal ganglia

A major goal of the BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN) is to create a suite of foundational reference cell atlases and associated standards for human and non-human primate brains. Central to this goal is the creation of cross-species harmonized cellular taxonomies and structural parcellations with formal ontologies that can be mapped into 3D reference frameworks bridging neuroimaging and cellular and histological resolutions. We describe here an iterative approach, focused initially on the basal ganglia, to co-create structural and cellular ontologies in human, macaque and marmoset brains, including a Harmonized Ontology of Mammalian Brain Anatomy (HOMBA), and to map and refine structural parcellations into neuroimaging-based common coordinate frameworks. These references provide the framework for documenting and mapping all experimental sampling in BICAN, allowing analyses of cellular and molecular variation as a function of topographic position, and enabling comparisons of cellular, molecular and neuroimaging-based functional variation within and between primate species. HighlightsO_LIA hierarchical Harmonized Ontology of Mammalian Brain Anatomy (HOMBA) covering 2348 structures C_LIO_LIHOMBA-annotated 3D common coordinate frameworks (CCFs) of the basal ganglia across species C_LIO_LIHistologically informed 3D parcellation/atlas of 280 human subcortical structures indexed by HOMBA C_LIO_LIMapping and integration of structural, cellular and functional data with HOMBA and CCFs C_LI

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2021

Cellular resolution anatomical and molecular atlases for prenatal human brains

Increasing interest in studies of prenatal human brain development, particularly using new single-cell genomics and anatomical technologies to create cell atlases, creates a strong need for accurate and detailed anatomical reference atlases. In this study, we present two cellular-resolution digital anatomical atlases for prenatal human brain at post-conceptional weeks (PCW) 15 and 21. Both atlases were annotated on sequential Nissl-stained sections covering brain-wide structures on the basis of combined analysis of cytoarchitecture, acetylcholinesterase staining and an extensive marker gene expression dataset. This high information content dataset allowed reliable and accurate demarcation of developing cortical and subcortical structures and their subdivisions. Furthermore, using the anatomical atlases as a guide, spatial expression of 37 and 5 genes from the brains respectively at PCW 15 and 21 was annotated, illustrating reliable marker genes for many developing brain structures. Finally, the present study uncovered several novel developmental features, such as the lack of an outer subventricular zone in the hippocampal formation and entorhinal cortex, and the apparent extension of both cortical (excitatory) and subcortical (inhibitory) progenitors into the prenatal olfactory bulb. These comprehensive atlases provide useful tools for visualization, targeting, imaging and interpretation of brain structures of prenatal human brain, and for guiding and interpreting the next generation of cell census and connectome studies.

neuroscience↗