Fig. 1: Spatial transcriptomics resolves the engram assembly and memory-associated genes.
From: Spatial transcriptomics reveal neuron–astrocyte synergy in long-term memory
a, Experimental scheme for tracing engram cells in a fear conditioning model. Active cells during the return phase were permanently tagged with tdTomato and used for differential analyses of engram cells. 4-OHT, 4-hydroxytamoxifen. b, Freezing rate during the recall phase. n = 5 mice; data are mean ± s.e.m.; unpaired two-tailed Student’s t-test, P = 2.4 × 10−6. c–j, Multiplexed error-robust fluorescence in situ hybridization (MERFISH) data. c, Engram cells (tdTomato+) in BLA revealed by MERFISH. FR: n = 8 sections, NF: n = 7 sections; data are mean ± s.e.m.; unpaired two-tailed Student’s t-test. d, Unbiased clustering of all neurons. e, Neuronal markers and cell-type annotations resolved in space. f, Unbiased clustering of neurons within BLA. g, Marker genes of BLA neuronal subtypes. Avg., average; exp., expression. h, Neuronal markers and cell-type annotations of BLA. i, Fear memory-induced gene expression in excitatory engram neurons of BLA. P < 0.05, unadjusted P value by Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon test. FC, fold change; NS, not significant. j, Fear memory-induced gene expression in inhibitory engram neurons of BLA. P < 0.05, unadjusted P value by Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon test.
