An expanded toolbox for genetic access to molecularly defined cortical intratelencephalic neuron subtypes

Six new gene knock-in mouse lines label molecularly defined intratelencephalic neuron subtypes with distinct cortico-cortical and corticostriatal projection patterns, including Wfs1+ and Ptprm+ variants.

• Why it matters: IT neurons are diverse and important for cortical and striatal circuits, but existing tools rarely link molecular identity to projection subtype resolution.
• What they did: The authors created six IT-marker knock-in lines (Cux1-Flp, Kcnh5-CreER, Wfs1-Flp, Igfn1-Flp, Deptor-CreER, Ptprm-CreER) and mapped their projection patterns, then used in vivo calcium imaging during a reach-withdraw-drink task.
• The result: Wfs1+ upper-layer and Ptprm+ lower-layer IT neurons project to perirhinal/ectorhinal cortex with area-dependent densities, and calcium imaging shows subtype-specific temporal dynamics in Wfs1+ versus Deptor+ neurons.

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