James, S.S. orcid.org/0000-0003-0208-0588, Krubitzer, L.A. and Wilson, S.P. orcid.org/0000-0001-8125-5133 (2020) Modelling the emergence of whisker barrels. eLife, 2020 (9). e55588. ISSN 2050-084X
Abstract
Brain development relies on an interplay between genetic specification and self-organization. Striking examples of this relationship can be found in the somatosensory brainstem, thalamus, and cortex of rats and mice, where the arrangement of the facial whiskers is preserved in the arrangement of cell aggregates to form precise somatotopic maps. We show in simulation how realistic whisker maps can self-organize, by assuming that information is exchanged between adjacent cells only, under the guidance of gene expression gradients. The resulting model provides a simple account of how patterns of gene expression can constrain spontaneous pattern formation to faithfully reproduce functional maps in subsequent brain structures.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © James et al. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > Department of Psychology (Sheffield) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number JAMES S MCDONNELL FOUNDATION nan |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 13 Oct 2020 16:38 |
Last Modified: | 13 Oct 2020 16:38 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.7554/elife.55588 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:166123 |