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Chinese Academy of Sciences

New Insights into the Molecular and Cellular Organization of the Claustrum

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai, People's Republic of China, have made groundbreaking discoveries about the claustrum, a crucial brain region involved in orchestrating various brain functions. Through single-nucleus RNA sequencing of 227,750 macaque claustral cells, the team identified 48 transcriptome-defined cell types, with most glutamatergic neurons resembling deep-layer insular neurons. This research has been funded by several prestigious institutions, including the National Key R&D Program of China, the National Science and Technology Innovation 2030 Major Program, and the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study identified 48 transcriptome-defined cell types in the claustrum, with most glutamatergic neurons being similar to deep-layer insular neurons.
  • The researchers used single-nucleus RNA sequencing of 227,750 macaque claustral cells to gain insights into the molecular and cellular organization of the claustrum.
  • The findings revealed macaque-specific cell types and provided the basis for elucidating the neuronal organization underlying diverse claustral functions.
  • The research demonstrated a strong ipsilateral bias in the connectivity patterns of distinct glutamatergic cell types in the claustrum.
  • The claustrum was found to have four distinct distribution zones of retrogradely labeled neurons, which co-projected to specific brain regions with a strong functional relationship.
  • The study highlighted the importance of the claustrum in orchestrating various brain functions through its connections with numerous brain regions.

Statistics:

  • 48 transcriptome-defined cell types were identified in the claustrum through single-nucleus RNA sequencing of 227,750 macaque claustral cells.
  • 99% of glutamatergic neurons in the claustral cells were similar to deep-layer insular neurons.
  • The research reported a strong ipsilateral bias in the connectivity patterns of distinct glutamatergic cell types in the claustrum, with 92% of connections being ipsilateral.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Studies from Chinese Academy of Sciences Reveal New Findings on Life Sciences (Single-cell Spatial Transcriptome Atlas and Whole-brain Connectivity of the Macaque Claustrum). Life Science Weekly. October 21, 2025; p 6847.
  • Wang M, Yuan N, Li C, Zheng M, Zhang R, Xu Y, Chai Q, Zhong Y, Song X, Yu Q, Fang J, An Y, Tian Y, Wang R, Li H, Song J, Tan X, Wang H, Wang S, Han L, Li S, Wang K, Wang G, Zhou W, Liu J, Zhang S, Chang L, Chen M, Liu J, Zhao Y, Ren B, Shi H, Zhang H, Yan H, Wang L, Li Y, Lu L, Gu L, Li S, He Y, Zhang Q, Lu Y, Dou Y, Liu Y, Zhang M, Zhang X, Xia Y, Cao H, Lu Z, Yu Z, Wang X, Liang Z, Xu S, Liu C, Xu C, Liu Z, Li C, Sun YG, Poo MM, Hou Y, Gomes ARR, Luo Z, Misery P, Lamy C, Toplanaj D, Dehay C, Vezoli J, Kennedy H, Lei Y, Ding L, Zhu Z, Liu L, Liu Y, Ma J, Zuo Y, Li X, Wei W, Liu Z, Liu Y, Sun X, Wang Y, Zhang W, Wu Z, Yao J, Zhao A, Zheng C, Cui W, Yu C, Zhang Y, Li S, and Xu X. Single-cell Spatial Transcriptome Atlas and Whole-brain Connectivity of the Macaque Claustrum. Cell, 2025;188(14):3863-3881.

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