Scientists have created the first detailed atlas mapping how the vascular network in a mouse's brain develops after birth, according to an April 17 study published in Cell.
The new atlas is significant because it provides researchers with a comprehensive view of how blood vessels adapt and change during key stages of brain growth. Understanding these changes may help scientists learn more about developmental disorders and diseases that originate in childhood.
The study was co-led by Alexandre Dubrac from the Centre de recherche Azrieli du CHU Sainte‑Justine and Université de Montréal, working closely with Nicolas Renier at the Paris Brain Institute. Their work shows that blood vessels do not simply grow alongside neurons; instead, their development follows several phases linked to neural circuit maturation. "We knew that neurons undergo extensive changes after birth, but we understood far less about how blood vessels adapt to these transformations," said Mathilde Bizou, a PhD student in Dubrac's lab and co-first author. "This atlas finally provides a comprehensive view of this essential dynamic."
Dubrac said previously there were only detailed maps for adult brains, making it difficult to understand postnatal vascular development: "It was a bit like trying to understand how a city functions without access to its road map." To address this gap, Renier's team built a three-dimensional model using mice that tracks vascular growth from birth through adulthood with high precision. Dubrac's group contributed spatiotemporal transcriptomic data connecting vessel structure with molecular activity.
Their research identified three main phases: an initial period where vessel growth matches brain size increases; a second phase where vessels grow faster than the brain itself during periods critical for neural circuit formation; and finally, stabilization as adolescence approaches. The findings also show that some regions of the brain send out specific signals guiding where new blood vessels should develop or stop growing—when disrupted, these pathways can cause abnormal vessel patterns.
Dubrac said having this reference map will help compare normal development against cases where processes are disrupted: "We will be able to better understand whether—and how—a mismatch between neuronal development and vascularization contributes to the vulnerability of specific brain regions." He added that future research could use this atlas as a starting point for studying conditions such as autism or childhood cerebrovascular diseases.
