The output of the data generation pipeline described above is a detailed quantitative map of transcript distribution across the entire brain. As one example, Fig. 2a depicts the structural distribution of gene expression related to dopaminergic neurotransmission, illustrating the highly localized enrichment of genes associated with dopamine synthesis, packaging, degradation and postsynaptic signalling. Regional enrichments were conserved between the two brains (note similar peaks in paired rows for Brain 1 and 2; Fig. 2a) and were consistent with previous studies9, 10. For example, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is enriched in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNC), ventral tegmental area (VTA), and hypothalamic supraoptic and preoptic nuclei, as well as in the locus ceruleus, the neurons of which use dopamine as a precursor for noradrenaline. Similar brain-wide plots for other neurotransmitter systems are provided in Supplementary Fig. 1.
