Interactive maps of nerve-organ anatomy and function on the SPARC Portal

Presentation delivered at ISAN 2024.

Abstract:

The integrated maps viewer of the SPARC Portal (https://sparc.science) provides interactive, modular, and continually-updated visualizations of nerve-organ anatomy and function.

SPARC data and knowledge is registered onto two-dimensional flatmaps, and three-dimensional anatomical organ and whole-body scaffolds. Flatmaps are zoomable maps built from a range of sources and portray anatomy and nerve knowledge of a given species, and scaffold maps are geometric models able to represent the spatial distribution of connectivity knowledge, observed data, and computational models. These maps, and their annotations, are published as SPARC datasets and they are available for public viewing using the map viewers on the SPARC Portal (https://sparc.science/maps).

The map viewers provide visual interfaces for exploring data and tools in the context of knowledge about neural connectivity. Visualization on the viewer can be customized using different settings. Search can be conducted on both the flatmap and scaffold maps to find and highlight specific features. Data and literature sources and other relevant information of a network and connectivity can be explored comprehensively based on standardized annotations. Multiple maps can be visualized simultaneously using a split-pane display system. Users can dynamically create permalinks to specific views, allowing knowledge and corresponding visualization to be shared and cited.

Development of the map viewers are on-going and new features continue to be deployed to the SPARC Portal.