1412 (Apr 2025)

Data Release v1412 (April 29, 2025) is the second quarterly release of 2025.

This version ADDS the following tables

The following tables have updated status or entries, from VORTEX proofreading and annotations

The following tables from previous versions are included:

Information about the version 1412 release can be queried with the following:

# report timestamp metadata on the version of interest
client.materialize.get_version_metadata(1412)['time_stamp']
datetime.datetime(2025, 4, 29, 10, 10, 1, 200893, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc)

Spines with multiple synaptic inputs

Table name: multi_input_spine_predictions_ssa

Spine-predicted objects with more than one input synapse prediction. Based on the same model used in synapse_target_predictions_ssa. The model is a random forest trained on spectral shape analysis features from the mesh. Current failure modes include some stubby spines being predicted as shafts, and some very thin dendrites being classified as spines.

It contains the following columns:

Synapse target predictions column definitions
Column Description
pre_pt_position / pre_pt_supervoxel_id / pre_pt_root_id The bound spatial point data for the presynaptic side of the synapse.
post_pt_position / post_pt_supervoxel_id / post_pt_root_id The bound spatial point data for the postsynaptic side of the synapse.
size The size of the synapse in voxels. This correlates well, but not perfectly, with the surface area of synapse.
ctr_pt_position A position in the center of the detected synaptic junction. Of all points in the synapse table, this is usually the closest point to the surface (and thus mesh) of both neurons. Because it is at the edge of cells, it is not associated with a root id.
group_id a unique iterator for shared postsynaptic compartments. Use pandas.groupby() to associate synapses on the same target
Tip

This is a reference table on synapses_pni_2, and can be indexed by the same synapse id.

# Standard query
client.materialize.query_table('multi_input_spine_predictions_ssa', limit=10)

# Content-aware query
client.materialize.tables.multi_input_spine_predictions_ssa(post_pt_root_id=example_root_id).query().value_counts('group_id')

For more on how to interpret the table, see Annotation Tables.

VORTEX Efforts

Proofreading Status and Strategy

Table name: proofreading_status_and_strategy

The table proofreading_status_and_strategy describes the status of cells that have undergone manual proofreading.

Because of the inherent difference in the difficulty and time required for different kinds of proofreading, we describe the status of axons and dendrites separately.

Each compartment status may be either:

  • FALSE: indicates no comprehensive proofreading has been performed, or is not applicable.
  • TRUE: indicates that false merges have been comprehensively removed, and the compartment is at least ‘clean’. Consult the strategy column if completeness of the compartment is relevant to your research.

An axon or dendrite labeled as status=TRUE can be trusted to be correct, but may not be complete. The degree of completion can be read from the strategy column. For more information, please see Proofreading and Data Quality; or also the microns-explorer page on proofreading strategies.

The key columns are:

Proofreading Status Table
Column Description
id Soma ID for the cell
pt_position  pt_supervoxel_id  pt_root_id Bound spatial point columns associated with the centroid of the cell nucleus
valid_id The root id of the neuron when it the proofreading assessment was made. NOTE: if this does not match the pt_root_id then the cell has undergone further changes. This is usually and improvement in proofreading, but proceed with caution.
status_dendrite The status of the dendrite proofreading. May be TRUE or FALSE
status_axon The status of the axon proofreading. May be TRUE or FALSE
strategy_dendrite The strategy employed to proofread the dendrite. See strategy table below for details
strategy_axon The strategy employed to proofread the axon. See strategy table below for details

The specific strategies are as follows (and will update over time):

Proofreading Strategies

Proofreading Strategy Table
Strategy Description
none No cleaning, and no extension. Indicates an entry in proofreading_status that is FALSE for that compartment
dendrite_clean The dendrite had incorrectly-merged axon and dendritic segments comprehensively removed, meaning the input synapses are accurate. The dendrite may be incorrectly truncated by segmentation error. Not all dendrite tips have been checked for extension. No comprehensive attempt was made to re-attach spine heads.
dendrite_extended The dendrite had incorrectly-merged axon and dendritic segments comprehensively removed, meaning the input synapses are accurate. Every tip was identified, manually inspected, and extended if possible. No comprehensive attempt was made to re-attach spine heads.
axon_column_truncated AThe axon was extended within the V1 cortical column, with a preference for local connections. In some cases the axon was cut at the column boundary and/or the layer boundary, especially the boundary between layers 2/3 and layer 4. Output synapses represent a sampling of potential partners
axon_interareal The axon was extended with a preference for branches that projected to other brain areas. Some axon branches were fully extended, but local connections may be incomplete. Output synapses represent a sampling of potential partners.
axon_partially_extended The axon was extended outward from the soma, following each branch to its termination. Output synapses represent a sampling of potential partners.
axon_fully_extended Axon was extended outward from the soma, following each branch to its termination. After initial extension, every endpoint was identified, manually inspected, and extended again if possible. Output synapses represent a largely complete sampling of partners.

This table, proofreading_status_and_strategy, supercedes proofreading_status_public_release.

# Standard query
client.materialize.query_table('proofreading_status_and_strategy')

# Content-aware query
client.materialize.tables.proofreading_status_and_strategy(status_axon='t').query()

VORTEX proofread astrocytes

Table name: vortex_astrocyte_proofreading_status

Manual screening and proofreading of astrocytes as part of the as part of the VORTEX project.

The key columns are:

Column Description
id Soma ID for the cell
pt_position  pt_supervoxel_id  pt_root_id Bound spatial point columns associated with the centroid of the cell nucleus
status One of ‘non’ indicating no cleaning or extension; ‘clean’ indicating neurite and non-astrocytic elements have been manually removed; ‘extended’ meaning astrocytic processes within the volume of the astrocyte have been comprehensively reviewed and assigned to the most likely cell
valid_id The root id of the astrocyte when it the proofreading assessment was made 
# Standard query
client.materialize.query_table('vortex_astrocyte_proofreading_status')

# Content-aware query
client.materialize.tables.vortex_astrocyte_proofreading_status(status='clean').query()

VORTEX proofread thalamic axons

Table name: vortex_thalamic_proofreading_status

This table reports the status of a manually selected subset of putative thalamocortical axons as part of the as part of the VORTEX project.

The key columns are:

Column Description
id Soma ID for the cell
pt_position  pt_supervoxel_id  pt_root_id Bound spatial point columns associated with the entry point of the axon into the EMvolume
status One of ‘non’ indicating no cleaning or extension; ‘clean’ indicating synapses can be trusted but may not be complete; ‘extended’ meaning all end points visited and extended to completion
valid_id The root id of the axon when it the proofreading assessment was made
Tip

Thalamic axons in this table that are complete and extended are also posted to proofreading_status_and_strategy with strategy: axon_fully_extended and dendrite_none.

# Standard query
client.materialize.query_table('vortex_thalamic_proofreading_status')

# Content-aware query
client.materialize.tables.vortex_thalamic_proofreading_status(status='extended').query()

For more on how to interpret the table, see Annotation Tables

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