Single-axon level morphological analysis of corticofugal projection neurons in mouse barrel field

Corticofugal projection neurons are key components in connecting the neocortex and the subcortical regions. In the barrel field, these neurons have various projection targets and play crucial roles in the rodent whisker sensorimotor system. However, the projection features of corticofugal projection neurons at the single-axon level are far from comprehensive elucidation. Based on a brain-wide positioning system with high-resolution imaging for Thy1-GFP M-line mice brains, we reconstructed and analyzed more than one hundred corticofugal projection neurons in both layer V and VI of barrel cortex. The dual-color imaging made it possible to locate the neurons’ somata, trace their corresponding dendrites and axons and then distinguish the neurons as L5 type I/II or L6 type. The corticofugal projection pattern showed significant diversity across individual neurons. Usually, the L5 type I neurons have greater multi-region projection potential. The thalamus and the midbrain are the most frequent projection targets among the investigated multidirectional projection neurons, and the hypothalamus is particularly unique in that it only appears in multidirectional projection situations. Statistically, the average branch length of apical dendrites in multi-region projection groups is larger than that of single-region projection groups. This study demonstrated a single-axon-level analysis for barrel corticofugal projection neurons, which could provide a micro-anatomical basis for interpreting whisker sensorimotor circuit function.