November 15, 2015 (Vol. 35, No. 20)
Rating:
Strong Points: Large collection, updated regularly
Weak Points: Data display is slow
Summary:
Neurons come in a seemingly infinite number of shapes, sizes, and types. NeuroMorpho.org is a nice online database of digitally reconstructed neurons curated from the literature. Visitors to the site can browse the collection (which at the time of this writing boasts close to 32,000 neurons) by animal species, brain region, or cell type, among other options. For each of these options, a pie chart depicting the breakdown of the collection is conveniently displayed at the top of the page. For example, the majority of the neurons in the database (about 17,000) were reconstructed from Drosophila melanogaster, while interneurons are the most represented cell type on the site. The database also includes various search options for the user, such as the ability to search metadata for specific experimental parameters like reconstruction method and animal age.
