Large-scale 3D EM connectomics dataset of mouse hippocampal area CA1

Abstract

The hippocampal formation is thought to be crucial for memory and learning, with subarea cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) considered to play a major role in spatial and episodic memory formation, and for evaluating the match between retrieved memories and current sensory information. While enormous progress has been made in classifying CA1 neurons based on molecular, morphological, and functional properties, and in identifying their role in behavioral tasks, a clear understanding of the underlying circuits is still missing. Here, we present the first large-scale three dimensional (3D) electron microscopy dataset of mouse CA1 at nanometer-scale resolution. The dataset is available online and can be readily used for circuit reconstructions, as demonstrated for inputs to CA1 superficial layers. Example volume segmentations show that automated reconstruction detection is feasible. Using these data, we find evidence against the long-held assumption of a homogeneous pyramidal cell population. Furthermore we find substantial possibly long-range axonal innervation of stratum-lacunosum interneurons, suggested previously to originate in L2 of MEC. These first analyses illustrate the usability of this dataset for finally clarifying the connectomic properties of mouse CA1, a key structure in mammalian brains.