Cross-species Single-cell Transcriptomics Reveals Neuronal Similarities and Heterogeneity in Amniote Pallium

The amniote pallium, a vital component of the forebrain, has undergone considerable evolutionary divergence across species and is critical for a variety of functions including sensation, memory and learning. The relationship between pallial subregions in different species remain elusive, particularly regarding the identification of homologous neurons and their similar or distinct signatures. Here, we utilized single-nucleus RNA sequencing to examine over 130,000 nuclei from macaque (Macaca fascicularis) neocortex, alongside datasets from human (Homo sapiens), mouse (Mus musculus), zebra finch(Taeniopygia guttata), turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii), and lizard (Pogona vitticeps), for a cross-species comparison.