C. Shan Xu

Oncostatin M-driven leak in human endothelial cells with preserved tight junctions

This study identifies oncostatin M-driven vascular leak in human endothelial cells through nanoscale channel formation, distinct from junction disassembly, and highlights potential therapeutic targets.

The female larval fly CNS connectome: first draft

The paper releases a complete larval Drosophila CNS connectome with automated segmentations and highlights the need for improved machine vision for proofreading.

Dystrophic changes of nigrostriatal axons harboring a Synj1 Parkinson mutation suggest catastrophic failure of endocytic mechanisms

Focal dopaminergic axon swellings in the dorsolateral striatum of Synj1 R259Q mutant mice are clusters of DAT-rich, onion-like plasma membrane invaginations, and the same region shows reduced evoked dopamine release.

miR-34/449 miRNAs regulate choroid plexus ciliogenesis to control cerebrospinal fluid production

This study identifies miR-34/449 miRNAs as regulators of choroid plexus multiciliogenesis, showing their role in controlling cerebrospinal fluid production through modulation of Shh signaling.

Sexual dimorphism in the complete connectome of the Drosophila male central nervous system

The paper presents the complete connectome of the Drosophila male central nervous system and compares it to the female connectome, identifying sex-specific and dimorphic neuronal types.

Image Analysis Tools for Scanning Electron Microscopy

The paper introduces image analysis tools for SEM images, available as Fiji plugins and Python scripts, for quality assessment and compatibility with custom FIB-SEM instruments.

Combining brain-wide activity imaging with electron microscopy reveals a distributed brain network for processing threatening somatosensory stimuli

The paper combines brain-wide activity imaging with electron microscopy to identify a distributed neural network for processing threatening somatosensory stimuli in Drosophila larvae.

BLTP3A is associated with membranes of the late endocytic pathway and is an effector of CASM

The paper identifies BLTP3A as a protein associated with late endocytic membranes and shows it interacts with the CASM pathway to respond to lysosome damage.

Cross-species comparative connectomics reveals the evolution of an olfactory circuit

This study uses cross-species connectomics to show that olfactory circuits have conserved core elements and species-specific rewiring linked to ecological differences.

The first complete 3D reconstruction and morphofunctional mapping of an insect eye

The paper presents the first 3D reconstruction of an insect compound eye using vEM, revealing cellular structure and specialized photoreceptors in the parasitoid wasp Megaphragma viggianii.

Connectome-driven neural inventory of a complete visual system

A FIB-SEM connectome of the male Drosophila right optic lobe sorts ∼53,000 neurons into 727 types, with neurotransmitter predictions and 577 matched split-GAL4 lines.

Structural and functional dissection of the Pacinian corpuscle reveals an active role of the inner core in touch detection

This study reveals that the inner core of Pacinian corpuscles, not the outer core, mediates rapid adaptation and frequency tuning in touch detection.

Multicilia dynamically transduce Shh signaling to regulate choroid plexus functions

This study shows that multicilia in the choroid plexus transduce non-canonical Shh signaling to regulate CSF production by repressing Aqp1 and Atp1a2 expression.

Transport and Organization of Individual Vimentin Filaments Within Dense Networks Revealed by Single Particle Tracking and 3D FIB-SEM

This study uses single-particle tracking and 3D FIB-SEM to reveal dynamics and organization of individual vimentin filaments within dense networks, showing bidirectional motion and minimal local co-alignment with microtubules.

Periodic ER-plasma membrane junctions support long-range Ca2+ signal integration in dendrites

The paper identifies periodic ER-PM junctions in dendrites that enable long-range Ca2+ signal integration through local spine activation and ryanodine receptor-dependent Ca2+ release.

Three-dimensional reconstructions of mechanosensory end organs suggest a unifying mechanism underlying dynamic, light touch

This study uses 3D reconstructions of mechanosensory end organs to propose a unified mechanism for Aβ RA-LTMR activation through axon protrusions and Piezo2 distribution.

3D architecture and a bi-cellular mechanism of touch detection in mechanosensory corpuscle

This study reveals the 3D architecture of avian Meissner corpuscles and identifies a bi-cellular mechanism where lamellar cells release neurotransmitters to trigger action potentials in afferents for touch detection.

A Connectome of the Male Drosophila Ventral Nerve Cord

Roughly 23 thousand traced neurons and 10 million TBars of the male Drosophila nerve cord, reconstructed from electron microscopy, typed, and queryable in neuPrint down to motor neurons.

En bloc preparation of Drosophila brains enables high-throughput FIB-SEM connectomics

The paper introduces methods to prepare Drosophila brains for high-throughput FIB-SEM connectomics, enabling faster and more accurate imaging of neural connections.

Chromatin arranges in chains of mesoscale domains with nanoscale functional topography independent of cohesin

The paper identifies linked chromatin domains (CDs) with nanoscale functional topography in somatic cells, showing cohesin and histone modifications are confined to surfaces and enriched in cores, independent of cohesin.

A Connectome and Analysis of the Adult Drosophila Central Brain

The paper presents a detailed connectome of the adult Drosophila central brain, including new methods for data analysis and biological insights into neural circuit organization.

A Connectome of the Adult Drosophila Central Brain

A dense electron-microscopy reconstruction of half the fly central brain, with nearly every cell typed and queryable online, turns months of tracing partners into a database lookup.

Enabling FIB-SEM Systems for Large Volume Connectomics and Cell Biology

This paper introduces enhanced FIB-SEM technology that significantly increases imaging volume and resolution, enabling large-scale connectomics and cell biology studies.

GCIB-SEM: A path to 10 nm isotropic imaging of cubic millimeter volumes

The paper introduces GCIB-SEM, a 3D electron microscopy technique that provides <10 nm isotropic resolution for large volumes, improving z-resolution and compatibility with multibeam SEMs.

Neuron-astrocyte metabolic coupling during neuronal stimulation protects against fatty acid toxicity

The paper shows that astrocytes detoxify fatty acids from hyperactive neurons through mitochondrial oxidation, protecting neurons from toxicity.

Cortical Column and Whole Brain Imaging of Neural Circuits with Molecular Contrast and Nanoscale Resolution

The paper combines expansion and lattice light sheet microscopy to enable high-speed, nanoscale molecular imaging of neural circuits across large volumes.