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Grant support

This work was supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (Grant 785907 HBP SGA2), by Spain's Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovaciony Universidades (BFU 2107-88549-P)to F.C., and by Grants of the Helmholtz Society (JHRL). We thank Begona Rodriguez, Marta Callejo, Brigitte Marshallsay, and Tafun Palaz for excellent technical help.

Analysis of institutional authors

Santuy, AndreaAuthor

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February 20, 2025
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Area-Specific Synapse Structure in Branched Posterior Nucleus Axons Reveals a New Level of Complexity in Thalamocortical Networks

Publicated to:Journal Of Neuroscience. 40 (13): 2663-2679 - 2020-03-25 40(13), DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2886-19.2020

Authors: Rodriguez-Moreno, Javier; Porrero, Cesar; Rollenhagen, Astrid; Rubio-Teves, Mario; Casas-Torremocha, Diana; Alonso-Nanclares, Lidia; Yakoubi, Rachida; Santuy, Andrea; Merchan-Perez, Angel; DeFelipe, Javier; Luebke, Joachim H R; Clasca, Francisco

Affiliations

Autonoma Madrid Univ, Sch Med, Dept Anat & Neurosci, Madrid 28029, Spain - Author
CSIC, Inst Cajal, Arce 37, E-28002 Madrid, Spain - Author
Ctr Invest Biomed Red Enfermedades Neurodegenerat, CIBERNED, Madrid 28031, Spain - Author
JARA Translat Brain Med, D-52425 Julich, Germany - Author
Res Ctr Julich GmbH, Inst Neurosci & Med INM 10, D-52425 Julich, Germany - Author
RWTH Univ Hosp Aachen, Dept Psychiat Psychotherapy & Psychosomat, Med Fac, D-52074 Aachen, Germany - Author
Univ Politecn Madrid, Ctr Tecnol Biomed, Lab Cajal Circuitos Cort, Madrid 28223, Spain - Author
Univ Politecn Madrid, Dept Arquitectura & Tecnol Sistemas Informat, E-28660 Madrid, Spain - Author
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Abstract

Thalamocortical posterior nucleus (Po) axons innervating the vibrissal somatosensory (S1) and motor (MC) cortices are key links in the brain neuronal network that allows rodents to explore the environment whisking with their motile snout vibrissae. Here, using fine-scale high-end 3D electron microscopy, we demonstrate in adult male C57BL/6 wild-type mice marked differences between MC versus S1 Po synapses in (1) bouton and active zone size, (2) neurotransmitter vesicle pool size, (3) distribution of mitochondria around synapses, and (4) proportion of synapses established on dendritic spines and dendrit is shafts. These differences are as large, or even more pronounced, than those between Po and ventro-posterior thalamic nucleus synapses in S1. Moreover, using single-axon transfection labeling, we demonstrate that the above differences actually occur on the MC versus the S1 branches of individual Po cell axons that innervate both areas. Along with recently-discovered divergences in efficacy and plasticity, the synaptic structure differences reported here thus reveal a new subcellular level of complexity. This is a finding that upends current models of thalamocortical circuitry, and that might as well illuminate the functional logic of other branched projection axon systems.

Keywords

3d electron microscopyAmpaAnimalsAxonsCortexLayer-ivMaleMedial nucleusMiceMice, inbred c57blMitochondriaMotor cortexNerve netNeural pathwaysNeuronsNmda receptorsOrganizationPrimary motorReconstructioSomatosensory cortexSynapseSynapsesThalamuThalamusTransmissionVibrissae

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Journal Of Neuroscience due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2020, it was in position 52/273, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Neurosciences.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations provided by WoS (ESI, Clarivate), it yields a value for the citation normalization relative to the expected citation rate of: 1.42. This indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 14, 2024)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Field Citation Ratio (FCR) from Dimensions: 12.45 (source consulted: Dimensions Sep 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-09-07, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 30
  • Europe PMC: 31

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-09-07:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 54.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 54 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 32.1.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 11 (Altmetric).
  • The number of mentions in news outlets: 2 (Altmetric).

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: Germany.