Single cell RNA sequencing to classify molecularly distinct neuronal and non-neuronal cell types in the mouse ventral posterior hypothalamus

Droplet-based single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to classify molecularly distinct neuronal and non-neuronal cell types in the mouse ventral posterior hypothalamus. Cluster analysis of >16,000 single cells revealed 20 neuronal and 18 non-neuronal cell populations, defined by suites of discriminatory markers. We validated differentially expressed genes in a selection of neuronal populations through fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Focusing on the mammillary nuclei, we discovered transcriptionally-distinct clusters that broadly align with neuroanatomical compartments. This single cell transcriptomic analysis of cell types in the VPH provides a resource for interrogating the circuit-level mechanisms underlying the diverse functions of VPH circuits in health and disease. Overall design: Examination of cells from ventral posterior hypothalamus brain slices from four batches of juvenile B6 mice