Journal Update 4: An atlas of the protein-coding genes in the human, pig, and mouse brain

This paper aimed to create an atlas illustrating the spatial expression of transcripts and proteins across cells, tissues, and organs in the brain in humans, mice, and pigs. The rationale was that a broader comparative perspective would lead to better insight into neurobiology and associated diseases. 

As might be expected, the broader organizational patterns were conserved between the mammalian species. However, there was greater variability at the finer level, such as differences between neurotransmitter receptors. Specifically, human-mouse neurotransmitter receptors were significantly more different than human-pig, potentially illustrating that mice may not always be the best clinical test for human brain studies. This study's results also show support for linked function between many genes in microglia and immune cells. Additionally, genes previously thought to be exclusive to astrocytes were shown to be linked to skeletal muscle and liver development. This OPEN ACCESS data can allow other research to take advantage of this broadly sweeping study potentially leading to clinical and research related advances in a variety of disciplines. 


Sjöstedt E, Zhong W, Fagerberg L, Karlsson M, Mitsios N, Adori C, Oksvold P, Edfors F, Limiszewska A, Hikmet F, Huang J. An atlas of the protein-coding genes in the human, pig, and mouse brain. Science. 2020 Mar 6;367(6482).

Ryan McRae
Science