A global screen for magnetically induced neuronal activity in the pigeon brain

How animals detect the Earth's magnetic field remains a mystery in sensory biology. Despite extensive behavioral evidence, the neural circuitry and molecular mechanisms responsible for magnetic sensing remain elusive. Adopting an unbiased approach, we employ whole-brain activity mapping, tissue clearing, and light-sheet microscopy to identify neuronal populations activated by magnetic stimuli in the pigeon (Columba livia). We demonstrate robust, light-independent neuronal activation in the medial vestibular nuclei and the caudal mesopallium. Single-cell RNA sequencing of the semicircular cristae revealed specialized type II hair cells that express the molecular machinery necessary for the detection of magnetic stimuli by electromagnetic induction. Our data supports a model whereby electro-magnetic input from the semicircular canals activates a vestibular-mesopallial circuit within the pigeon brain.
, , # Data from: A global screen for magnetically induced neuronal activity in the pigeon brain

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.0k6djhbd5](10.5061/dryad.0k6djhbd5)

## Description of the data and file structure

Data from: A global screen for magnetically induced neuronal activity in the pigeon brain

### Files and variables

#### File: LSM_analysis_2.tar.gz

**Description:** >This repository contains whole brain C-FOS detection matrices from unsupervised Clearmap processing. These matrices can be voxelized to generate heatmaps.

Folder structure:

MAWB14- light experiment
MAWB1- dark experiment
MAWB12- static experiment

Each subfolder is divided by light sheet microscopy acquisition quadrant (See figure S1B):

DY1-dorsal anterior
DY2-dorsal posterior
VY1-ventral posterior
VY2-ventral anterior

#### File: scRNA_seq_data.tar.gz

**Description:** >This repository contains Raw single cell RNA-seq data, Seurat objects, and R code for analysis and figure generation.

##### Raw_sequencing_data

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