The hypothalamus predates the origin of vertebrates.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 33910896.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.abf7452 and PMC identifier 8081355.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC.
- Because redistribution is not established, this page shows the abstract only. Follow the links below for the full text.
Abstract
The hypothalamus coordinates neuroendocrine functions in vertebrates. To explore its evolutionary origin, we describe integrated transcriptome/connectome brain maps for swimming tadpoles of <i>Ciona</i>, which serves as an approximation of the ancestral proto-vertebrate. This map features several cell types related to different regions of the vertebrate hypothalamus, including the mammillary nucleus, the arcuate nucleus, and magnocellular neurons. Coronet cells express melanopsin and share additional properties with the saccus vasculosus, a specialized region of the hypothalamus that mediates photoperiodism in nontropical fishes. Comparative transcriptome analyses identified orthologous cell types for mechanosensory switch neurons, and <i>VP<sup>+</sup></i> and <i>VPR<sup>+</sup></i> relay neurons in different regions of the mouse hypothalamus. These observations provide evidence that the hypothalamus predates the evolution of the vertebrate brain. We discuss the possibility that switch neurons, coronet cells, and <i>FoxP<sup>+</sup></i> /<i>VPR<sup>+</sup></i> relay neurons comprise a behavioral circuit that helps trigger metamorphosis of <i>Ciona</i> larvae in response to twilight.