Molecularly defined Cellular Atlas of the Mouse brain (MiCAM)

The Cell Type Distribution Atlas of the Mouse Brain (MiCAM) is a census database of the spatial distribution of specific cell types in the mouse brain. The database is based on Cre transgenic mice combined with fMOST imaging technology, which enables the localization of almost every cell body of a specific cell type at the whole-brain scale, achieving single-cell resolution in three-dimensional space. The current database contains 20 types of cells, including 8 excitatory neurons, 5 inhibitory neurons, 6 modulatory neurons, and 1 microglia. Adult mice of similar age (8~24w) are used as samples for these data, and the labeling method, imaging resolution and data processing process are unified to ensure the consistency and integration of data quality. Here, we established an interactive platform for MiCAM, which includes 2D registered coronal slices of labeled cells, 3D visualization of cells in the standard mouse brain, statistical results of the number of cells in the anatomical brain regions, and downloadable cubic data and associated codes for whole brain cell density and intercellular distance. The cell types involved in the database and the corresponding analysis results will gradually be supplemented and enriched to meet a wider range of research needs. MiCAM interactive platform can provide the prior knowledge at the single-cell level for the research work using the corresponding Cre transgenic mice, and is expected to provide reliable data and inspiration for the research on the functional characteristics of the brain at a finer scale.