Genome-wide gene expression profiles of the developing mouse hippocampus

We have analyzed the developmental molecular programs of the mouse hippocampus, a cortical structure critical for learning and memory, by means of large-scale DNA microarray techniques. Of 11,000 genes and expressed sequence tags examined, 1,926 showed dynamic changes during hippocampal development from embryonic day 16 to postnatal day 30. Gene-cluster analysis was used to group these genes into 16 distinct clusters with striking patterns that appear to correlate with major developmental hallmarks and cellular events. These include genes involved in neuronal proliferation, differentiation, and synapse formation. A complete list of the transcriptional changes has been compiled into a comprehensive gene profile database (http://BrainGenomics.Princeton.edu), which should prove valuable in advancing our understanding of the molecular and genetic programs underlying both the development and the functions of the mammalian brain.本研究借助大规模DNA微阵列技术，解析了小鼠海马体——一种对学习与记忆至关重要的皮层结构——的发育分子程序。在本次检测的11000个基因与表达序列标签（expressed sequence tags）中，共有1926个基因在小鼠海马体从胚胎第16天至出生后第30天的发育过程中呈现动态表达变化。本研究通过基因聚类分析，将这些基因划分为16个具有显著表达模式的独立聚类簇，这些模式与主要的发育特征及细胞事件存在明显关联，其中涵盖参与神经元增殖、分化及突触形成的相关基因。本研究已将所有转录变化的完整列表整合至一个综合性基因表达谱数据库（http://BrainGenomics.Princeton.edu），该数据库将为推动我们理解哺乳动物大脑发育与功能背后的分子及遗传程序提供重要助力。