Sharing and reusing gene expression profiling data in neuroscience

As public availability of gene expression profiling data increases, it is natural to ask how these data can be used by neuroscientists. Here we review the public availability of high-throughput expression data in neuroscience and how it has been reused, and tools that have been developed to facilitate reuse. There is increasing interest in making expression data reuse a routine part of the neuroscience tool-kit, but there are a number of challenges. Data must become more readily available in public databases; efforts to encourage investigators to make data available are important, as is education on the benefits of public data release. Once released, data must be better-annotated. Techniques and tools for data reuse are also in need of improvement. Integration of expression profiling data with neuroscience-specific resources such as anatomical atlases will further increase the value of expression data.

随着基因表达谱数据（gene expression profiling data）的公开可及性持续提升，神经科学家自然会思考该如何利用这类数据。本文综述了神经科学领域高通量表达数据（high-throughput expression data）的公开现状、其复用情况，以及为促进数据复用所开发的各类工具。
当前，学界对将表达数据复用纳入神经科学研究工具套件的常规环节的呼声日益高涨，但仍面临诸多挑战。相关数据需在公共数据库（public databases）中更易于获取；鼓励研究者公开数据的相关举措，以及针对公共数据发布益处的科普教育，均至关重要。数据公开后，还需进一步优化注释质量。数据复用的相关技术与工具同样有待完善。将表达谱数据与神经科学专属资源（如解剖图谱（anatomical atlases））进行整合，将进一步提升表达数据的应用价值。