Riccardo Bocchi

Thank you, Christian, for your valuable contribution!

Huge shoutout to first author @alanzhoujf.bsky.social 🙌 and all our fantastic collaborators — couldn’t have done it without such an amazing team work! 💥🧠 Thanks to the funding support from
@snsf.ch #Ambizione

6/ 🧭 Want to explore the data yourself? Check out our interactive site where you can browse gene expression, subtype markers, lineage relationships, and spatial maps: 🌐 bocchilab.ch/Zhou_et_al_2...

5/ ⭐️ This study reshapes our understanding of how astrocyte diversity emerges during cortical development.

4/ Why does this matter?
Because astrocyte origin shapes astrocyte function.
Olig2-lineage astrocytes are synaptogenic — they promote synapse formation.
Knock out Olig2, and synaptic density drops.

3/ Lineage 1 🟦: Emx1⁺ radial glia → neurons first, astrocytes later.
Lineage 2 🟥: Emx1⁻ radial glia → few neurons, mostly astrocytes.
Each lineage gives rise to different astrocyte subtypes — with unique locations and functions.

2/ Here is the twist 🧬.
Using high-throughput clonal tracing (TrackerSeq), we discovered that these subtypes originate from two molecularly distinct radial glia lineages.

1/ Not all astrocytes are created equal.
We mapped the molecular and spatial landscape of astrocytes in the mouse neocortex — and found five distinct subtypes, organized across cortical layers and white matter.

Dual lineage origins contribute to neocortical astrocyte diversity - Nature Communications Astrocytes display diverse molecular and functional features in the brain, but the developmental origins of this heterogeneity are not well understood. Here, the authors show that two separate progeni...

🚨 First paper from the Bocchi lab out now in @natcomms.nature.com!
We show that astrocytes in the cortex arise from not one, but two distinct progenitor lineages, each giving rise to specialized subtypes with distinct roles.
Here the story📖 doi.org/10.1038/s414...

Thrilled to co-chair Symposium S08: Developmental Origins of Astrocyte Diversity tomorrow at #GLIA2025! Join us for cutting-edge insights into how astrocytes are born , diversify, and shape brain function. Wed, July 9 | 🕙 10:00–12:00 With @loulierk.bsky.social , Maryam Faiz & @sloanlab.bsky.social

✨ Astrocyte diversity starts at the source!
🧬 We uncover how dual radial glia lineages generate distinct astrocyte subtypes in the neocortex — revealed by MERFISH, scRNA-seq & clonal tracing.
📍#GLIA2025 | Poster T10-010A
🧠 w/
@alanzhoujf.bsky.social
in Marseille
Come talk glia with us!

Scientists discover never-before-seen type of brain cell A new study has pinpointed cells in the brains of mice that have the unique ability to proliferate and may help to repair damaged tissue. Scientists now need to determine if similar cells exist in hum...

www.livescience.com/health/neuro...

Thank you!!!

Astrocyte heterogeneity reveals region-specific astrogenesis in the white matter - Nature Neuroscience White matter (WM) astrocytes differ significantly from gray matter astrocytes, with WM astrocytes in the forebrain exhibiting unique proliferation capacity, which is absent in cerebellar WM, suggestin...

White matter (WM) #astrocytes differ significantly from grey matter (GM) astrocytes, with WM
astrocytes in the forebrain exhibiting unique proliferation capacity 🧪🧠

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Dual lineage origins of neocortical astrocytes Astrocytes represent one of the most abundant cell types in the central nervous system, and play an essential role in nearly all aspects of brain functions[1][1]. Recent studies have challenged the no...

🌌 The journey into astrocyte diversity doesn’t stop here! Stay tuned for new insights into how their molecular and functional diversity originates during brain development. 🚀 A new story is coming soon—check out our bioRxiv preprint here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

📊 Explore the single-cell RNA-seq data yourself: bocchilab.ch/Bocchi_et_al...

💡 Why does this matter? This breakthrough unlocks new possibilities for 🛠️ brain repair, especially in conditions involving WM damage or degeneration. Understanding how these astrocytes support axons and drive myelination is key to tackling diseases like multiple sclerosis.

🔍 In the corpus callosum, WM astrocytes show a unique ability to proliferate—a feature completely absent in the cerebellar WM. This discovery highlights their region-specific roles in generating new astrocytes.

Astrocyte heterogeneity reveals region-specific astrogenesis in the white matter - Nature Neuroscience White matter (WM) astrocytes differ significantly from gray matter astrocytes, with WM astrocytes in the forebrain exhibiting unique proliferation capacity, which is absent in cerebellar WM, suggestin...

🚀 Think all white matter (WM) astrocytes are the same? Think again! 🌟 Our latest research reveals striking regional differences that challenge existing views on astrocyte diversity and function. 🧠

www.nature.com/articles/s41...