1
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Di Bella DJ, Domínguez-Iturza N, Brown JR, Arlotta P. Making Ramón y Cajal proud: Development of cell identity and diversity in the cerebral cortex. Neuron 2024; 112:2091-2111. [PMID: 38754415 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Since the beautiful images of Santiago Ramón y Cajal provided a first glimpse into the immense diversity and complexity of cell types found in the cerebral cortex, neuroscience has been challenged and inspired to understand how these diverse cells are generated and how they interact with each other to orchestrate the development of this remarkable tissue. Some fundamental questions drive the field's quest to understand cortical development: what are the mechanistic principles that govern the emergence of neuronal diversity? How do extrinsic and intrinsic signals integrate with physical forces and activity to shape cell identity? How do the diverse populations of neurons and glia influence each other during development to guarantee proper integration and function? The advent of powerful new technologies to profile and perturb cortical development at unprecedented resolution and across a variety of modalities has offered a new opportunity to integrate past knowledge with brand new data. Here, we review some of this progress using cortical excitatory projection neurons as a system to draw out general principles of cell diversification and the role of cell-cell interactions during cortical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela J Di Bella
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
| | - Nuria Domínguez-Iturza
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
| | - Juliana R Brown
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Paola Arlotta
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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2
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Thor S. Indirect neurogenesis in space and time. Nat Rev Neurosci 2024:10.1038/s41583-024-00833-x. [PMID: 38951687 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-024-00833-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
During central nervous system (CNS) development, neural progenitor cells (NPCs) generate neurons and glia in two different ways. In direct neurogenesis, daughter cells differentiate directly into neurons or glia, whereas in indirect neurogenesis, neurons or glia are generated after one or more daughter cell divisions. Intriguingly, indirect neurogenesis is not stochastically deployed and plays instructive roles during CNS development: increased generation of cells from specific lineages; increased generation of early or late-born cell types within a lineage; and increased cell diversification. Increased indirect neurogenesis might contribute to the anterior CNS expansion evident throughout the Bilateria and help to modify brain-region size without requiring increased NPC numbers or extended neurogenesis. Increased indirect neurogenesis could be an evolutionary driver of the gyrencephalic (that is, folded) cortex that emerged during mammalian evolution and might even have increased during hominid evolution. Thus, selection of indirect versus direct neurogenesis provides a powerful developmental and evolutionary instrument that drives not only the evolution of CNS complexity but also brain expansion and modulation of brain-region size, and thereby the evolution of increasingly advanced cognitive abilities. This Review describes indirect neurogenesis in several model species and humans, and highlights some of the molecular genetic mechanisms that control this important process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Thor
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
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3
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Buchan MJ, Gothard G, Mahfooz K, van Rheede JJ, Avery SV, Vourvoukelis A, Demby A, Ellender TJ, Newey SE, Akerman CJ. Higher-order thalamocortical circuits are specified by embryonic cortical progenitor types in the mouse brain. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114157. [PMID: 38678557 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The sensory cortex receives synaptic inputs from both first-order and higher-order thalamic nuclei. First-order inputs relay simple stimulus properties from the periphery, whereas higher-order inputs relay more complex response properties, provide contextual feedback, and modulate plasticity. Here, we reveal that a cortical neuron's higher-order input is determined by the type of progenitor from which it is derived during embryonic development. Within layer 4 (L4) of the mouse primary somatosensory cortex, neurons derived from intermediate progenitors receive stronger higher-order thalamic input and exhibit greater higher-order sensory responses. These effects result from differences in dendritic morphology and levels of the transcription factor Lhx2, which are specified by the L4 neuron's progenitor type. When this mechanism is disrupted, cortical circuits exhibit altered higher-order responses and sensory-evoked plasticity. Therefore, by following distinct trajectories, progenitor types generate diversity in thalamocortical circuitry and may provide a general mechanism for differentially routing information through the cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gemma Gothard
- Department of Pharmacology, Mansfield Road, OX1 3QT Oxford, UK
| | - Kashif Mahfooz
- Department of Pharmacology, Mansfield Road, OX1 3QT Oxford, UK
| | | | - Sophie V Avery
- Department of Pharmacology, Mansfield Road, OX1 3QT Oxford, UK
| | | | - Alexander Demby
- Department of Pharmacology, Mansfield Road, OX1 3QT Oxford, UK
| | - Tommas J Ellender
- Department of Pharmacology, Mansfield Road, OX1 3QT Oxford, UK; Experimental Neurobiology Unit, Universiteitsplein, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sarah E Newey
- Department of Pharmacology, Mansfield Road, OX1 3QT Oxford, UK
| | - Colin J Akerman
- Department of Pharmacology, Mansfield Road, OX1 3QT Oxford, UK.
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4
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Sterling NA, Cho SH, Kim S. Entosis implicates a new role for P53 in microcephaly pathogenesis, beyond apoptosis. Bioessays 2024:e2300245. [PMID: 38778437 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202300245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Entosis, a form of cell cannibalism, is a newly discovered pathogenic mechanism leading to the development of small brains, termed microcephaly, in which P53 activation was found to play a major role. Microcephaly with entosis, found in Pals1 mutant mice, displays P53 activation that promotes entosis and apoptotic cell death. This previously unappreciated pathogenic mechanism represents a novel cellular dynamic in dividing cortical progenitors which is responsible for cell loss. To date, various recent models of microcephaly have bolstered the importance of P53 activation in cell death leading to microcephaly. P53 activation caused by mitotic delay or DNA damage manifests apoptotic cell death which can be suppressed by P53 removal in these animal models. Such genetic studies attest P53 activation as quality control meant to eliminate genomically unfit cells with minimal involvement in the actual function of microcephaly associated genes. In this review, we summarize the known role of P53 activation in a variety of microcephaly models and introduce a novel mechanism wherein entotic cell cannibalism in neural progenitors is triggered by P53 activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelle A Sterling
- Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center, Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Seo-Hee Cho
- Center for Translational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Sydney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Seonhee Kim
- Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center, Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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5
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Barão S, Xu Y, Llongueras JP, Vistein R, Goff L, Nielsen K, Bae BI, Smith RS, Walsh CA, Stein-O'Brien G, Müller U. BRN1/2 Function in Neocortical Size Determination and Microcephaly. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.02.565322. [PMID: 37961182 PMCID: PMC10635068 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.02.565322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian neocortex differs vastly in size and complexity between mammalian species, yet the mechanisms that lead to an increase in brain size during evolution are not known. We show here that two transcription factors coordinate gene expression programs in progenitor cells of the neocortex to regulate their proliferative capacity and neuronal output in order to determine brain size. Comparative studies in mice, ferrets and macaques demonstrate an evolutionary conserved function for these transcription factors to regulate progenitor behaviors across the mammalian clade. Strikingly, the two transcriptional regulators control the expression of large numbers of genes linked to microcephaly suggesting that transcriptional deregulation as an important determinant of the molecular pathogenesis of microcephaly, which is consistent with the finding that genetic manipulation of the two transcription factors leads to severe microcephaly.
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6
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Deng H, Tong S, Shen D, Zhang S, Fu Y. The characteristics of excitatory lineage differentiation and the developmental conservation in Reeler neocortex. Cell Prolif 2024; 57:e13587. [PMID: 38084819 PMCID: PMC11056708 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The majority of neocortical projection neurons are generated indirectly from radial glial cells (RGCs) mediated by intermediate progenitor cells (IPCs) in mice. IPCs are thought to be a great breakthrough in the evolutionary expansion of the mammalian neocortex. However, the precise ratio of neuron production from IPCs and characteristics of RGC differentiation process are still unclear. Our study revealed that direct neurogenesis was seldom observed and increased slightly at late embryonic stage. Besides, we conducted retrovirus sparse labelling combined carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimide ester (CFSE) and Tbr2-CreER strain to reconstruct individual lineage tree in situ. The lineage trees simulated the output of RGCs at per round of division in sequence with high temporal, spatial and cellular resolution at P7. We then demonstrated that only 1.90% of neurons emanated from RGCs directly in mouse cerebral neocortex and 79.33% of RGCs contributed to the whole clones through IPCs. The contribution of indirect neurogenesis was underestimated previously because approximately a quarter of IPC-derived neurons underwent apoptosis. Here, we also showed that abundant IPCs from first-generation underwent self-renewing division and generated four neurons ultimately. We confirmed that the intermediate proliferative progenitors expressed higher Cux2 characteristically at early embryonic stage. Finally, we validated that the characteristics of neurogenetic process in lineages and developmental fate of neurons were conserved in Reeler mice. This study contributes to further understanding of neurogenesis in neocortical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan‐Huan Deng
- Jing'an District Central Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain ScienceFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Shi‐Yuan Tong
- Jing'an District Central Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain ScienceFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Dan Shen
- Jing'an District Central Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain ScienceFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Shu‐Qing Zhang
- Jing'an District Central Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain ScienceFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Yinghui Fu
- Jing'an District Central Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain ScienceFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
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7
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Coquand L, Brunet Avalos C, Macé AS, Farcy S, Di Cicco A, Lampic M, Wimmer R, Bessières B, Attie-Bitach T, Fraisier V, Sens P, Guimiot F, Brault JB, Baffet AD. A cell fate decision map reveals abundant direct neurogenesis bypassing intermediate progenitors in the human developing neocortex. Nat Cell Biol 2024; 26:698-709. [PMID: 38548890 PMCID: PMC11098750 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-024-01393-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
The human neocortex has undergone strong evolutionary expansion, largely due to an increased progenitor population, the basal radial glial cells. These cells are responsible for the production of a diversity of cell types, but the successive cell fate decisions taken by individual progenitors remain unknown. Here we developed a semi-automated live/fixed correlative imaging method to map basal radial glial cell division modes in early fetal tissue and cerebral organoids. Through the live analysis of hundreds of dividing progenitors, we show that basal radial glial cells undergo abundant symmetric amplifying divisions, and frequent self-consuming direct neurogenic divisions, bypassing intermediate progenitors. These direct neurogenic divisions are more abundant in the upper part of the subventricular zone. We furthermore demonstrate asymmetric Notch activation in the self-renewing daughter cells, independently of basal fibre inheritance. Our results reveal a remarkable conservation of fate decisions in cerebral organoids, supporting their value as models of early human neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure Coquand
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR144, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, Ecole Doctorale complexité du vivant, Paris, France
| | | | - Anne-Sophie Macé
- UMR 144-Cell and Tissue Imaging Facility (PICT-IBiSA), CNRS-Institut Curie, Paris, France
| | - Sarah Farcy
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR144, Paris, France
| | | | - Marusa Lampic
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR144, Paris, France
| | - Ryszard Wimmer
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR144, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, Ecole Doctorale complexité du vivant, Paris, France
| | - Betina Bessières
- UF Embryofœtopathologie, Hopital Necker-enfants malades, Paris, France
| | | | - Vincent Fraisier
- UMR 144-Cell and Tissue Imaging Facility (PICT-IBiSA), CNRS-Institut Curie, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Sens
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR168, Paris, France
| | - Fabien Guimiot
- UF de Fœtopathologie - Université de Paris et Inserm UMR1141, Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris, France
| | | | - Alexandre D Baffet
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR144, Paris, France.
- Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Paris, France.
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8
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Huilgol D, Levine JM, Galbavy W, Wang BS, Josh Huang Z. Orderly specification and precise laminar deployment of cortical glutamatergic projection neuron types through intermediate progenitors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.01.582863. [PMID: 38645016 PMCID: PMC11027211 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.01.582863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex comprises diverse types of glutamatergic projection neurons (PNs) generated from radial glial progenitors (RGs) through either direct neurogenesis or indirect neurogenesis (iNG) via intermediate progenitors (IPs). A foundational concept in corticogenesis is the "inside-out" model whereby successive generations of PNs sequentially migrate to deep then progressively more superficial layers, but its biological significance remains unclear; and the role of iNG in this process is unknown. Using genetic strategies linking PN birth-dating to projection mapping in mice, we found that the laminar deployment of IP-derived PNs substantially deviate from an inside-out rule: PNs destined to non-consecutive layers are generated at the same time, and different PN types of the same layer are generated at non-contiguous times. The overarching scheme of iNG is the sequential specification and precise laminar deployment of projection-defined PN types, which may contribute to the orderly assembly of cortical output channels and processing streams. HIGHLIGHTS - Each IP is fate-restricted to generate a pair of near-identical PNs - Corticogenesis involves the orderly generation of fate-restricted IP temporal cohorts - IP temporal cohorts sequentially as well as concurrently specify multiple PN types - The deployment of PN types to specific layers does not follow an inside-out order.
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9
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Napoli AJ, Laderwager S, Zoodsma JD, Biju B, Mucollari O, Schubel SK, Aprea C, Sayed A, Morgan K, Napoli A, Flanagan S, Wollmuth LP, Sirotkin HI. Developmental loss of NMDA receptors results in supernumerary forebrain neurons through delayed maturation of transit-amplifying neuroblasts. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3395. [PMID: 38336823 PMCID: PMC10858180 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53910-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Developmental neurogenesis is a tightly regulated spatiotemporal process with its dysregulation implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. NMDA receptors are glutamate-gated ion channels that are widely expressed in the early nervous system, yet their contribution to neurogenesis is poorly understood. Notably, a variety of mutations in genes encoding NMDA receptor subunits are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. To rigorously define the role of NMDA receptors in developmental neurogenesis, we used a mutant zebrafish line (grin1-/-) that lacks all NMDA receptors yet survives to 10 days post-fertilization, offering the opportunity to study post-embryonic neurodevelopment in the absence of NMDA receptors. Focusing on the forebrain, we find that these fish have a progressive supernumerary neuron phenotype confined to the telencephalon at the end of embryonic neurogenesis, but which extends to all forebrain regions during postembryonic neurogenesis. This enhanced neuron population does not arise directly from increased numbers or mitotic activity of radial glia cells, the principal neural stem cells. Rather, it stems from a lack of timely maturation of transit-amplifying neuroblasts into post-mitotic neurons, as indicated by a decrease in expression of the ontogenetically-expressed chloride transporter, KCC2. Pharmacological blockade with MK-801 recapitulates the grin1-/- supernumerary neuron phenotype, indicating a requirement for ionotropic signaling. Thus, NMDA receptors are required for suppression of indirect, transit amplifying cell-driven neurogenesis by promoting maturational termination of mitosis. Loss of suppression results in neuronal overpopulation that can fundamentally change brain circuitry and may be a key factor in pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders caused by NMDA receptor dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalia J Napoli
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5230, USA
| | - Stephanie Laderwager
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5230, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5230, USA
| | - Josiah D Zoodsma
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5230, USA
| | - Bismi Biju
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5230, USA
| | - Olgerta Mucollari
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5230, USA
| | - Sarah K Schubel
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5230, USA
| | - Christieann Aprea
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5230, USA
| | - Aaliya Sayed
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5230, USA
| | - Kiele Morgan
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5230, USA
| | - Annelysia Napoli
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5230, USA
| | - Stephanie Flanagan
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5230, USA
| | - Lonnie P Wollmuth
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5230, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5215, USA
- Center for Nervous System Disorders, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5230, USA
| | - Howard I Sirotkin
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5230, USA.
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10
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Shen Z, Yang J, Zhang Q, Wang K, Lv X, Hu X, Ma J, Shi SH. How variable progenitor clones construct a largely invariant neocortex. Natl Sci Rev 2024; 11:nwad247. [PMID: 38274004 PMCID: PMC10810685 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The neocortex contains a vast collection of diverse neurons organized into distinct layers. While nearly all neocortical neurons are generated by radial glial progenitors (RGPs), it remains largely unclear how a complex yet organized neocortex is constructed reliably and robustly. Here, we show that the division behavior and neuronal output of RGPs are highly constrained with patterned variabilities to support the reliable and robust construction of the mouse neocortex. The neurogenic process of RGPs can be well-approximated by a consistent Poisson-like process unfolding over time, producing deep to superficial layer neurons progressively. The exact neuronal outputs regarding layer occupation are variable; yet, this variability is constrained systematically to support all layer formation, largely reflecting the variable intermediate progenitor generation and RGP neurogenic entry and exit timing differences. Together, these results define the fundamental features of neocortical neurogenesis with a balanced reliability and variability for the construction of the complex neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongfu Shen
- New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jiajun Yang
- New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Qiangqiang Zhang
- New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Kuiyu Wang
- Department of Computer Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiaohui Lv
- New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xiaolin Hu
- Department of Computer Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jian Ma
- New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Song-Hai Shi
- New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
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11
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Zhang Q, Liu X, Gong L, He M. Combinatorial genetic strategies for dissecting cell lineages, cell types, and gene function in the mouse brain. Dev Growth Differ 2023; 65:546-553. [PMID: 37963088 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Research in neuroscience has greatly benefited from the development of genetic approaches that enable lineage tracing, cell type targeting, and conditional gene regulation. Recent advances in combinatorial strategies, which integrate multiple cellular features, have significantly enhanced the spatiotemporal precision and flexibility of these manipulations. In this minireview, we introduce the concept and design of these strategies and provide a few examples of their application in genetic fate mapping, cell type targeting, and reversible conditional gene regulation. These advancements have facilitated in-depth investigation into the developmental principles underlying the assembly of brain circuits, granting experimental access to highly specific cell lineages and subtypes, as well as offering valuable new tools for modeling and studying neurological diseases. Additionally, we discuss future directions aimed at expanding and improving the existing genetic toolkit for a better understanding of the development, structure, and function of healthy and diseased brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Miao He
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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12
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Gómez-Ocádiz R, Silberberg G. Corticostriatal pathways for bilateral sensorimotor functions. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 83:102781. [PMID: 37696188 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Corticostriatal pathways are essential for a multitude of motor, sensory, cognitive, and affective functions. They are mediated by cortical pyramidal neurons, roughly divided into two projection classes: the pyramidal tract (PT) and the intratelencephalic tract (IT). These pathways have been the focus of numerous studies in recent years, revealing their distinct structural and functional properties. Notably, their synaptic connectivity within ipsi- and contralateral cortical and striatal microcircuits is characterized by a high degree of target selectivity, providing a means to regulate the local neuromodulatory landscape in the striatum. Here, we discuss recent findings regarding the functional organization of the PT and IT corticostriatal pathways and its implications for bilateral sensorimotor functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruy Gómez-Ocádiz
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 17177, Sweden. https://twitter.com/@RuyGomezOcadiz
| | - Gilad Silberberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 17177, Sweden.
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13
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Saha S, Jungas TT, Ohayon D, Audouard C, Ye T, Fawal MA, Davy A. Dihydrofolate reductase activity controls neurogenic transitions in the developing neocortex. Development 2023; 150:dev201696. [PMID: 37665322 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
One-carbon/folate (1C) metabolism supplies methyl groups required for DNA and histone methylation, and is involved in the maintenance of self-renewal in stem cells. Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), a key enzyme in 1C metabolism, is highly expressed in human and mouse neural progenitors at the early stages of neocortical development. Here, we have investigated the role of DHFR in the developing neocortex and report that reducing its activity in human neural organoids and mouse embryonic neocortex accelerates indirect neurogenesis, thereby affecting neuronal composition of the neocortex. Furthermore, we show that decreasing DHFR activity in neural progenitors leads to a reduction in one-carbon/folate metabolites and correlates with modifications of H3K4me3 levels. Our findings reveal an unanticipated role for DHFR in controlling specific steps of neocortex development and indicate that variations in 1C metabolic cues impact cell fate transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sulov Saha
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Unit (MCD), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Thomas T Jungas
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Unit (MCD), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - David Ohayon
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Unit (MCD), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Christophe Audouard
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Unit (MCD), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Tao Ye
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), INSERM U1258, CNRS UMR7104, Université de Strasbourg, 1 rue Laurent Fries, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Mohamad-Ali Fawal
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Unit (MCD), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Alice Davy
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Unit (MCD), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
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14
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Paolino A, Haines EH, Bailey EJ, Black DA, Moey C, García-Moreno F, Richards LJ, Suárez R, Fenlon LR. Non-uniform temporal scaling of developmental processes in the mammalian cortex. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5950. [PMID: 37741828 PMCID: PMC10517946 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41652-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The time that it takes the brain to develop is highly variable across animals. Although staging systems equate major developmental milestones between mammalian species, it remains unclear how distinct processes of cortical development scale within these timeframes. Here, we compare the timing of cortical development in two mammals of similar size but different developmental pace: eutherian mice and marsupial fat-tailed dunnarts. Our results reveal that the temporal relationship between cell birth and laminar specification aligns to equivalent stages between these species, but that migration and axon extension do not scale uniformly according to the developmental stages, and are relatively more advanced in dunnarts. We identify a lack of basal intermediate progenitor cells in dunnarts that likely contributes in part to this timing difference. These findings demonstrate temporal limitations and differential plasticity of cortical developmental processes between similarly sized Therians and provide insight into subtle temporal changes that may have contributed to the early diversification of the mammalian brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Paolino
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Elizabeth H Haines
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Evan J Bailey
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Dylan A Black
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Ching Moey
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Fernando García-Moreno
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Scientific Park of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940, Leioa, Spain
- IKERBASQUE Foundation, María Díaz de Haro 3, 48013, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Linda J Richards
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, St Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Rodrigo Suárez
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Laura R Fenlon
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
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15
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Napoli AJ, Laderwager S, Zoodsma JD, Biju B, Mucollari O, Schubel SK, Aprea C, Sayed A, Morgan K, Napoli A, Flanagan S, Wollmuth LP, Sirotkin HI. Loss of NMDA receptor function during development results in decreased KCC2 expression and increased neurons in the zebrafish forebrain. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.25.554812. [PMID: 37786708 PMCID: PMC10541604 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.25.554812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Developmental neurogenesis is a tightly regulated spatiotemporal process with its dysregulation implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. NMDA receptors are glutamate-gated ion channels that are widely expressed in the early nervous system, yet their contribution to neurogenesis is poorly understood. Notably, a variety of mutations in genes encoding NMDA receptor subunits are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. To rigorously define the role of NMDA receptors in developmental neurogenesis, we used a mutant zebrafish line ( grin1 -/- ) that lacks all NMDA receptors yet survives to 10 days post-fertilization, offering the opportunity to study post-embryonic neurodevelopment in the absence of NMDA receptors. Focusing on the forebrain, we find that these fish have a progressive supernumerary neuron phenotype confined to the telencephalon at the end of embryonic neurogenesis, but which extends to all forebrain regions during postembryonic neurogenesis. This enhanced neuron population does not arise directly from increased numbers or mitotic activity of radial glia cells, the principal neural stem cells. Rather, it stems from a lack of timely maturation of transit-amplifying neuroblasts into post-mitotic neurons, as indicated by a decrease in expression of the ontogenetically-expressed chloride transporter, KCC2. Pharmacological blockade with MK-801 recapitulates the grin1 -/- supernumerary neuron phenotype, indicating a requirement for ionotropic signaling. Thus, NMDA receptors are required for suppression of indirect, transit amplifying cell-driven neurogenesis by promoting maturational termination of mitosis. Loss of suppression results in neuronal overpopulation that can fundamentally change brain circuitry and may be a key factor in pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders caused by NMDA receptor dysfunction.
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16
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Lewis S. Planning projections. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:519. [PMID: 37507603 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00727-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
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