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Mapping of the Developmental Atlas of the Visual System and Research on Embryonic Neurogenesis Phenomena
Sponsor: Sheng Liu
Summary
This research studies how nerve cells in the human embryonic retina, visual brain regions, and brain areas responsible for higher cognitive functions grow, develop, and form interconnected functional networks. Eye tissue, visual brain tissue, and other brain tissue linked to advanced cognitive functions will be collected from embryos whose pregnancies were terminated due to medical conditions or illnesses. High-throughput single-cell and single-nucleus sequencing will be utilized to map gene activity patterns and developmental growth pathways of retinal nerve cells. Multiple testing tools will be combined to analyze these brain and retinal cells: Patch-seq (single-cell patch-clamp sequencing), high-density microelectrode arrays (MEA), and two-photon calcium imaging. With these tools, systematic measurements will be performed on the electrical activity, physical shape, synaptic connection patterns, and signal coding functions of neurons in the retina and visual brain regions. Multi-modal tissue maps and a public database will be constructed to store all collected research data. Immunofluorescence staining will also be applied to compare structural differences and nerve fiber connections between visual brain regions and higher cognitive brain areas. The regenerative capacity and neuron formation process of embryonic brain stem cells, as well as the migration paths of developing neurons, will be tracked. Overall, this study aims to fully uncover the neural foundation of visual signal processing, and identify the molecular regulatory networks that control nerve tissue development during the embryonic stage.
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
Any - Any
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
200
Start Date
2026-01-16
Completion Date
2027-06
Last Updated
2026-07-07
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Interventions
Tissue collection and multi-omics sequencing analysis
This observational study collects discarded human embryonic ocular and brain tissues from patients undergoing clinically indicated termination of pregnancy, with gestational age ranging from 9 to 40 weeks. We separate retinal, visual cortex and high-order cognitive cortex tissues, then perform single-cell multi-omics sequencing including transcriptome, chromatin accessibility and proteome profiling. The data is used to explore retinal neurogenesis, neuronal developmental trajectories and multi-modal cell atlas of embryonic visual system, without any clinical intervention on participants.
Locations (1)
Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China