Thomas Perlmann's Group
Our group is interested in how specific cell types of the central nervous system are generated and how they are maintained.
We are mostly focusing on neurons using dopamine as neurotransmitter and we are unraveling the signaling and transcriptional regulation that govern the specification, differentiation and maintenance of these cells. The studies have resulted in the identification of several transcription factors with key roles in these processes. The projects are focused on understanding functions in both early specification events and in maintenance of dopamine neurons in the adult brain. Moreover, we are also interested in regenerative medicine in relation to Parkinson’s disease and other brain disorders.
Group Members
Selected Publications
Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals midbrain dopamine neuron diversity emerging during mouse brain development.
Tiklová K, Björklund ÅK, Lahti L, Fiorenzano A, Nolbrant S, Gillberg L, et al
Nat Commun 2019 02;10(1):581
Single-Cell Analysis Reveals a Close Relationship between Differentiating Dopamine and Subthalamic Nucleus Neuronal Lineages.
Kee N, Volakakis N, Kirkeby A, Dahl L, Storvall H, Nolbrant S, et al
Cell Stem Cell 2017 01;20(1):29-40
Dopaminergic control of autophagic-lysosomal function implicates Lmx1b in Parkinson's disease.
Laguna A, Schintu N, Nobre A, Alvarsson A, Volakakis N, Jacobsen JK, et al
Nat. Neurosci. 2015 Jun;18(6):826-35
Sox6 and Otx2 control the specification of substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons.
Panman L, Papathanou M, Laguna A, Oosterveen T, Volakakis N, Acampora D, et al
Cell Rep 2014 Aug;8(4):1018-25
Transcription factor Nurr1 maintains fiber integrity and nuclear-encoded mitochondrial gene expression in dopamine neurons.
Kadkhodaei B, Alvarsson A, Schintu N, Ramsköld D, Volakakis N, Joodmardi E, et al
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2013 Feb;110(6):2360-5
Transcription factor-induced lineage selection of stem-cell-derived neural progenitor cells.
Panman L, Andersson E, Alekseenko Z, Hedlund E, Kee N, Mong J, et al
Cell Stem Cell 2011 Jun;8(6):663-75