Peer-reviewed
Shrestha BR*, Wu L, Goodrich LV*. Runx1 controls auditory sensory neuron diversity in mice Developmental Cell. Feb 27, 2023 🔗 *co-corresponding and co-senior authors
> We identified a key transcription factor, Runx1, responsible for generating a diverse SGN pool; in the absence of Runx1, most neurons destined for Ib/Ic identities become Ia instead, even after the animal is born! Intriguingly, not all aspects of SGN identities are equally flexible--genes related to neuronal function undergo sweeping changes while those implicated in connectivity seem less plastic. Dig in to learn how our analyses of synapse morphology, ABRs, and SGN-hair cell connectivity compare with transcriptome-based predictions and how these results collectively enrich our understanding of neural plasticity.
Shrestha BR, Chia C, Wu L, Kujawa SG, Liberman MC, Goodrich LV. Sensory Neuron Diversity in the Inner Ear Is Shaped by Activity. Cell. Aug 23, 2018 ↓ 🔗
Read news coverage in Science Daily and a highlight in Nature Reviews Neuroscience
> Here we defined a novel molecular classification scheme for spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) in mice. Employing insights learned from SGN transcriptomic profiles, we charted the emergence of SGN subtype identities during development and their loss in old age. Perturbation of spontaneous activity altered SGN identities even after birth, revealing an intriguing developmental phenomenon whereby neuronal subtype proportions are influenced by circuit activity generated in the absence of extrinsic sound.
Shrestha BR, Goodrich LV. Wiring the cochlea for sound perception. The Oxford Handbook of the Auditory Brainstem. Sep 2019 🔗
> In this book chapter, we provide an overview of the development of spiral ganglion neurons focusing on molecular and cellular factors influencing their differentiation and wiring.