
We’ve just posted a challenge that comes from X. William Yang’s lab at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). They have developed a unique way of processing datasets that utilizes MOnonucleotide Repeat Frameshift (MORF). The MORF strategy allows the opporunity to label and reconstruct thousands genetically defined cells per mouse brain for large-scale, unbiased, brain-wide classification. We are joining together and using the power of citizen science to help reconstruct the dendritic morphology of MORF-labeled medium spiny neurons (MSNs). These striatal MSNs are a core component of the basal ganglia circuit, which is critical in the regulation of motor control, behavior, and the brain regions most affected by neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington’s and Parkinson’s Disease.