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Dehay C, Huttner WB. Development and evolution of the primate neocortex from a progenitor cell perspective. Development 2024; 151:dev199797. [PMID: 38369736 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199797] [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] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
The generation of neurons in the developing neocortex is a major determinant of neocortex size. Crucially, the increase in cortical neuron numbers in the primate lineage, notably in the upper-layer neurons, contributes to increased cognitive abilities. Here, we review major evolutionary changes affecting the apical progenitors in the ventricular zone and focus on the key germinal zone constituting the foundation of neocortical neurogenesis in primates, the outer subventricular zone (OSVZ). We summarize characteristic features of the OSVZ and its key stem cell type, the basal (or outer) radial glia. Next, we concentrate on primate-specific and human-specific genes, expressed in OSVZ-progenitors, the ability of which to amplify these progenitors by targeting the regulation of the cell cycle ultimately underlies the evolutionary increase in upper-layer neurons. Finally, we address likely differences in neocortical development between present-day humans and Neanderthals that are based on human-specific amino acid substitutions in proteins operating in cortical progenitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colette Dehay
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, F-69500 Bron, France
| | - Wieland B Huttner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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2
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Holst CB, Brøchner CB, Vitting‐Seerup K, Møllgård K. The HOPX and BLBP landscape and gliogenic regions in developing human brain. J Anat 2023; 243:23-38. [PMID: 36794762 PMCID: PMC10273337 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Outer radial glial cells (oRGs) give rise to neurons and glial cells and contribute to cell migration and expansion in developing neocortex. HOPX has been described as a marker of oRGs and possible actor in glioblastomas. Recent years' evidence points to spatiotemporal differences in brain development which may have implications for the classification of cell types in the central nervous system and understanding of a range of neurological diseases. Using the Human Embryonic/Fetal Biobank, Institute of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, HOPX and BLBP immunoexpression was investigated in developing frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital human neocortex, other cortical areas and brain stem regions to interrogate oRG and HOPX regional heterogeneity. Furthermore, usage of high-plex spatial profiling (Nanostring GeoMx® DSP) was tested on the same material. HOPX marked oRGs in several human developing brain regions as well as cells in known gliogenic areas but did not completely overlap with BLBP or GFAP. Interestingly, limbic structures (e.g. olfactory bulb, indusium griseum, entorhinal cortex, fimbria) showed more intense HOPX immunoreactivity than adjacent neocortex and in cerebellum and brain stem, HOPX and BLBP seemed to stain different cell populations in cerebellar cortex and corpus pontobulbare. DSP screening of corresponding regions indicated differences in cell type composition, vessel density and presence of apolipoproteins within and across regions and thereby confirming the importance of acknowledging time and place in developmental neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Bjørnbak Holst
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
- DCCC Brain Tumor CenterCopenhagen University HospitalCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Christian Beltoft Brøchner
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
- Department of Pathology, Center of Diagnostic InvestigationCopenhagen University HospitalCopenhagenDenmark
| | | | - Kjeld Møllgård
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
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3
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Massimo M, Long KR. Orchestrating human neocortex development across the scales; from micro to macro. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 130:24-36. [PMID: 34583893 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
How our brains have developed to perform the many complex functions that make us human has long remained a question of great interest. Over the last few decades, many scientists from a wide range of fields have tried to answer this question by aiming to uncover the mechanisms that regulate the development of the human neocortex. They have approached this on different scales, focusing microscopically on individual cells all the way up to macroscopically imaging entire brains within living patients. In this review we will summarise these key findings and how they fit together.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Massimo
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine R Long
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom.
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4
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Tang JLY, Hakes AE, Krautz R, Suzuki T, Contreras EG, Fox PM, Brand AH. NanoDam identifies Homeobrain (ARX) and Scarecrow (NKX2.1) as conserved temporal factors in the Drosophila central brain and visual system. Dev Cell 2022; 57:1193-1207.e7. [PMID: 35483359 PMCID: PMC9616798 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Temporal patterning of neural progenitors is an evolutionarily conserved strategy for generating neuronal diversity. Type II neural stem cells in the Drosophila central brain produce transit-amplifying intermediate neural progenitors (INPs) that exhibit temporal patterning. However, the known temporal factors cannot account for the neuronal diversity in the adult brain. To search for missing factors, we developed NanoDam, which enables rapid genome-wide profiling of endogenously tagged proteins in vivo with a single genetic cross. Mapping the targets of known temporal transcription factors with NanoDam revealed that Homeobrain and Scarecrow (ARX and NKX2.1 orthologs) are also temporal factors. We show that Homeobrain and Scarecrow define middle-aged and late INP temporal windows and play a role in cellular longevity. Strikingly, Homeobrain and Scarecrow have conserved functions as temporal factors in the developing visual system. NanoDam enables rapid cell-type-specific genome-wide profiling with temporal resolution and is easily adapted for use in higher organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn L Y Tang
- Gurdon Institute and Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Anna E Hakes
- Gurdon Institute and Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Robert Krautz
- Gurdon Institute and Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Takumi Suzuki
- Gurdon Institute and Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Esteban G Contreras
- Gurdon Institute and Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Paul M Fox
- Gurdon Institute and Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Andrea H Brand
- Gurdon Institute and Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK.
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5
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Yildiz CB, Zimmer-Bensch G. Role of DNMTs in the Brain. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1389:363-394. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-11454-0_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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6
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Reichard J, Zimmer-Bensch G. The Epigenome in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:776809. [PMID: 34803599 PMCID: PMC8595945 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.776809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental diseases (NDDs), such as autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, and schizophrenia, are characterized by diverse facets of neurological and psychiatric symptoms, differing in etiology, onset and severity. Such symptoms include mental delay, cognitive and language impairments, or restrictions to adaptive and social behavior. Nevertheless, all have in common that critical milestones of brain development are disrupted, leading to functional deficits of the central nervous system and clinical manifestation in child- or adulthood. To approach how the different development-associated neuropathologies can occur and which risk factors or critical processes are involved in provoking higher susceptibility for such diseases, a detailed understanding of the mechanisms underlying proper brain formation is required. NDDs rely on deficits in neuronal identity, proportion or function, whereby a defective development of the cerebral cortex, the seat of higher cognitive functions, is implicated in numerous disorders. Such deficits can be provoked by genetic and environmental factors during corticogenesis. Thereby, epigenetic mechanisms can act as an interface between external stimuli and the genome, since they are known to be responsive to external stimuli also in cortical neurons. In line with that, DNA methylation, histone modifications/variants, ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling, as well as regulatory non-coding RNAs regulate diverse aspects of neuronal development, and alterations in epigenomic marks have been associated with NDDs of varying phenotypes. Here, we provide an overview of essential steps of mammalian corticogenesis, and discuss the role of epigenetic mechanisms assumed to contribute to pathophysiological aspects of NDDs, when being disrupted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Reichard
- Functional Epigenetics in the Animal Model, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Research Training Group 2416 MultiSenses-MultiScales, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Geraldine Zimmer-Bensch
- Functional Epigenetics in the Animal Model, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Research Training Group 2416 MultiSenses-MultiScales, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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7
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Abstract
The human brain is characterized by the large size and intricate folding of its cerebral cortex, which are fundamental for our higher cognitive function and frequently altered in pathological dysfunction. Cortex folding is not unique to humans, nor even to primates, but is common across mammals. Cortical growth and folding are the result of complex developmental processes that involve neural stem and progenitor cells and their cellular lineages, the migration and differentiation of neurons, and the genetic programs that regulate and fine-tune these processes. All these factors combined generate mechanical stress and strain on the developing neural tissue, which ultimately drives orderly cortical deformation and folding. In this review we examine and summarize the current knowledge on the molecular, cellular, histogenic and mechanical mechanisms that are involved in and influence folding of the cerebral cortex, and how they emerged and changed during mammalian evolution. We discuss the main types of pathological malformations of human cortex folding, their specific developmental origin, and how investigating their genetic causes has illuminated our understanding of key events involved. We close our review by presenting the state-of-the-art animal and in vitro models of cortex folding that are currently used to study these devastating developmental brain disorders in children, and what are the main challenges that remain ahead of us to fully understand brain folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Del Valle Anton
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Victor Borrell
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
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8
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Kerimoglu C, Pham L, Tonchev AB, Sakib MS, Xie Y, Sokpor G, Ulmke PA, Kaurani L, Abbas E, Nguyen H, Rosenbusch J, Michurina A, Capece V, Angelova M, Maricic N, Brand-Saberi B, Esgleas M, Albert M, Minkov R, Kovachev E, Teichmann U, Seong RH, Huttner WB, Nguyen HP, Stoykova A, Staiger JF, Fischer A, Tuoc T. H3 acetylation selectively promotes basal progenitor proliferation and neocortex expansion. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabc6792. [PMID: 34524839 PMCID: PMC8443185 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc6792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Increase in the size of human neocortex―acquired in evolution―accounts for the unique cognitive capacity of humans. This expansion reflects the evolutionarily enhanced proliferative ability of basal progenitors (BPs), including the basal radial glia and basal intermediate progenitors (bIPs) in mammalian cortex, which may have been acquired through epigenetic alterations in BPs. However, how the epigenome in BPs differs across species is not known. Here, we report that histone H3 acetylation is a key epigenetic regulation in bIP amplification and cortical expansion. Through epigenetic profiling of sorted bIPs, we show that histone H3 lysine 9 acetylation (H3K9ac) is low in murine bIPs and high in human bIPs. Elevated H3K9ac preferentially increases bIP proliferation, increasing the size and folding of the normally smooth mouse neocortex. H3K9ac drives bIP amplification by increasing expression of the evolutionarily regulated gene, Trnp1, in developing cortex. Our findings demonstrate a previously unknown mechanism that controls cortical architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cemil Kerimoglu
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Linh Pham
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
- Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr University of Bochum, 44791 Bochum, Germany
| | - Anton B. Tonchev
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology and Stem Cell Biology, Research Institute, Medical University of Varna, Varna 9002, Bulgaria
| | - M. Sadman Sakib
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Yuanbin Xie
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Science, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, The People’s Republic of China
| | - Godwin Sokpor
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
- Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr University of Bochum, 44791 Bochum, Germany
| | - Pauline Antonie Ulmke
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Lalit Kaurani
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Eman Abbas
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Huong Nguyen
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
- Faculty of Biotechnology, Thai Nguyen University of Sciences, Thai Nguyen, Vietnam
| | - Joachim Rosenbusch
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | | | - Vincenzo Capece
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Meglena Angelova
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology and Stem Cell Biology, Research Institute, Medical University of Varna, Varna 9002, Bulgaria
| | - Nenad Maricic
- Institute of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Ruhr University of Bochum, 44791 Bochum, Germany
| | - Beate Brand-Saberi
- Institute of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Ruhr University of Bochum, 44791 Bochum, Germany
| | - Miriam Esgleas
- Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Mareike Albert
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Radoslav Minkov
- Specialized Hospital for Obstetrics and Gynecology “Prof. Dimitar Stamatov” –Varna, Medical University of Varna, Varna 9002, Bulgaria
| | - Emil Kovachev
- Specialized Hospital for Obstetrics and Gynecology “Prof. Dimitar Stamatov” –Varna, Medical University of Varna, Varna 9002, Bulgaria
| | - Ulrike Teichmann
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Rho H. Seong
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Wieland B. Huttner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Huu Phuc Nguyen
- Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr University of Bochum, 44791 Bochum, Germany
| | - Anastassia Stoykova
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
- DFG Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Jochen F. Staiger
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
- DFG Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Andre Fischer
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
- DFG Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), 37075 Goettingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence “Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells” (MBExC), Georg-August-University Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Tran Tuoc
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
- Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr University of Bochum, 44791 Bochum, Germany
- DFG Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), 37075 Goettingen, Germany
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Yang L, Li Z, Liu G, Li X, Yang Z. Developmental Origins of Human Cortical Oligodendrocytes and Astrocytes. Neurosci Bull 2021; 38:47-68. [PMID: 34374948 PMCID: PMC8783027 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-021-00759-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cortical radial glial cells are primary neural stem cells that give rise to cortical glutaminergic projection pyramidal neurons, glial cells (oligodendrocytes and astrocytes) and olfactory bulb GABAergic interneurons. One of prominent features of the human cortex is enriched with glial cells, but there are major gaps in understanding how these glial cells are generated. Herein, by integrating analysis of published human cortical single-cell RNA-Seq datasets with our immunohistochemistical analyses, we show that around gestational week 18, EGFR-expressing human cortical truncated radial glial cells (tRGs) give rise to basal multipotent intermediate progenitors (bMIPCs) that express EGFR, ASCL1, OLIG2 and OLIG1. These bMIPCs undergo several rounds of mitosis and generate cortical oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and olfactory bulb interneurons. We also characterized molecular features of the cortical tRG. Integration of our findings suggests a general picture of the lineage progression of cortical radial glial cells, a fundamental process of the developing human cerebral cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Institute for Translational Brain Research, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhenmeiyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Institute for Translational Brain Research, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Guoping Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Institute for Translational Brain Research, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiaosu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Institute for Translational Brain Research, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhengang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Institute for Translational Brain Research, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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10
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Abstract
Studies of the spatiotemporal, transcriptomic, and morphological diversity of radial glia (RG) have spurred our current models of human corticogenesis. In the developing cortex, neural intermediate progenitor cells (nIPCs) are a neuron-producing transit-amplifying cell type born in the germinal zones of the cortex from RG. The potential diversity of the nIPC population, that produces a significant portion of excitatory cortical neurons, is understudied, particularly in the developing human brain. Here we explore the spatiotemporal, transcriptomic, and morphological variation that exists within the human nIPC population and provide a resource for future studies. We observe that the spatial distribution of nIPCs in the cortex changes abruptly around gestational week (GW) 19/20, marking a distinct shift in cellular distribution and organization during late neurogenesis. We also identify five transcriptomic subtypes, one of which appears at this spatiotemporal transition. Finally, we observe a diversity of nIPC morphologies that do not correlate with specific transcriptomic subtypes. These results provide an analysis of the spatiotemporal, transcriptional, and morphological diversity of nIPCs in developing brain tissue and provide an atlas of nIPC subtypes in the developing human cortex that can benchmark in vitro models of human development such as cerebral organoids and help inform future studies of how nIPCs contribute to cortical neurogenesis.
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11
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Hou S, Ho WL, Wang L, Kuo B, Park JY, Han YG. Biphasic Roles of Hedgehog Signaling in the Production and Self-Renewal of Outer Radial Glia in the Ferret Cerebral Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:4730-4741. [PMID: 34002221 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The neocortex, the center for higher brain function, emerged in mammals and expanded in the course of evolution. The expansion of outer radial glia (oRGs) and intermediate progenitor cells (IPCs) plays key roles in the expansion and consequential folding of the neocortex. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of oRG and IPC expansion is important for understanding neocortical development and evolution. By using mice and human cerebral organoids, we previously revealed that hedgehog (HH) signaling expands oRGs and IPCs. Nevertheless, it remained to be determined whether HH signaling expanded oRGs and IPCs in vivo in gyrencephalic species, in which oRGs and IPCs are naturally expanded. Here, we show that HH signaling is necessary and sufficient to expand oRGs and IPCs in ferrets, a gyrencephalic species, through conserved cellular mechanisms. HH signaling increases oRG-producing division modes of ventricular radial glia (vRGs), oRG self-renewal, and IPC proliferation. Notably, HH signaling affects vRG division modes only in an early restricted phase before superficial-layer neuron production peaks. Beyond this restricted phase, HH signaling promotes oRG self-renewal. Thus, HH signaling expands oRGs and IPCs in two distinct but continuous phases during cortical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirui Hou
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Wan-Ling Ho
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.,School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.,Department of Pediatrics, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Taipei Cancer Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Bryan Kuo
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jun Young Park
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Young-Goo Han
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
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12
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Prieto-Colomina A, Fernández V, Chinnappa K, Borrell V. MiRNAs in early brain development and pediatric cancer: At the intersection between healthy and diseased embryonic development. Bioessays 2021; 43:e2100073. [PMID: 33998002 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The size and organization of the brain are determined by the activity of progenitor cells early in development. Key mechanisms regulating progenitor cell biology involve miRNAs. These small noncoding RNA molecules bind mRNAs with high specificity, controlling their abundance and expression. The role of miRNAs in brain development has been studied extensively, but their involvement at early stages remained unknown until recently. Here, recent findings showing the important role of miRNAs in the earliest phases of brain development are reviewed, and it is discussed how loss of specific miRNAs leads to pathological conditions, particularly adult and pediatric brain tumors. Let-7 miRNA downregulation and the initiation of embryonal tumors with multilayered rosettes (ETMR), a novel link recently discovered by the laboratory, are focused upon. Finally, it is discussed how miRNAs may be used for the diagnosis and therapeutic treatment of pediatric brain tumors, with the hope of improving the prognosis of these devastating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Prieto-Colomina
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas & Universidad Miguel Hernández, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Virginia Fernández
- Neurobiology of miRNA, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Genoa, Italy
| | - Kaviya Chinnappa
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas & Universidad Miguel Hernández, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Víctor Borrell
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas & Universidad Miguel Hernández, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
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13
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Stepien BK, Vaid S, Huttner WB. Length of the Neurogenic Period-A Key Determinant for the Generation of Upper-Layer Neurons During Neocortex Development and Evolution. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:676911. [PMID: 34055808 PMCID: PMC8155536 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.676911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The neocortex, a six-layer neuronal brain structure that arose during the evolution of, and is unique to, mammals, is the seat of higher order brain functions responsible for human cognitive abilities. Despite its recent evolutionary origin, it shows a striking variability in size and folding complexity even among closely related mammalian species. In most mammals, cortical neurogenesis occurs prenatally, and its length correlates with the length of gestation. The evolutionary expansion of the neocortex, notably in human, is associated with an increase in the number of neurons, particularly within its upper layers. Various mechanisms have been proposed and investigated to explain the evolutionary enlargement of the human neocortex, focussing in particular on changes pertaining to neural progenitor types and their division modes, driven in part by the emergence of human-specific genes with novel functions. These led to an amplification of the progenitor pool size, which affects the rate and timing of neuron production. In addition, in early theoretical studies, another mechanism of neocortex expansion was proposed—the lengthening of the neurogenic period. A critical role of neurogenic period length in determining neocortical neuron number was subsequently supported by mathematical modeling studies. Recently, we have provided experimental evidence in rodents directly supporting the mechanism of extending neurogenesis to specifically increase the number of upper-layer cortical neurons. Moreover, our study examined the relationship between cortical neurogenesis and gestation, linking the extension of the neurogenic period to the maternal environment. As the exact nature of factors promoting neurogenic period prolongation, as well as the generalization of this mechanism for evolutionary distinct lineages, remain elusive, the directions for future studies are outlined and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara K Stepien
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Max Planck Society (MPG), Munich, Germany.,Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, School of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Samir Vaid
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Max Planck Society (MPG), Munich, Germany
| | - Wieland B Huttner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Max Planck Society (MPG), Munich, Germany
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14
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Vasistha NA, Khodosevich K. The impact of (ab)normal maternal environment on cortical development. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 202:102054. [PMID: 33905709 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The cortex in the mammalian brain is the most complex brain region that integrates sensory information and coordinates motor and cognitive processes. To perform such functions, the cortex contains multiple subtypes of neurons that are generated during embryogenesis. Newly born neurons migrate to their proper location in the cortex, grow axons and dendrites, and form neuronal circuits. These developmental processes in the fetal brain are regulated to a large extent by a great variety of factors derived from the mother - starting from simple nutrients as building blocks and ending with hormones. Thus, when the normal maternal environment is disturbed due to maternal infection, stress, malnutrition, or toxic substances, it might have a profound impact on cortical development and the offspring can develop a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we first describe the major developmental processes which generate neuronal diversity in the cortex. We then review our knowledge of how most common maternal insults affect cortical development, perturb neuronal circuits, and lead to neurodevelopmental disorders. We further present a concept of selective vulnerability of cortical neuronal subtypes to maternal-derived insults, where the vulnerability of cortical neurons and their progenitors to an insult depends on the time (developmental period), place (location in the developing brain), and type (unique features of a cell type and an insult). Finally, we provide evidence for the existence of selective vulnerability during cortical development and identify the most vulnerable neuronal types, stages of differentiation, and developmental time for major maternal-derived insults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navneet A Vasistha
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Konstantin Khodosevich
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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15
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Homman-Ludiye J, Bourne JA. The Marmoset: The Next Frontier in Understanding the Development of the Human Brain. ILAR J 2021; 61:248-259. [PMID: 33620074 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilaa028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodent models, particularly mice, have dominated the field of developmental neuroscience for decades, like they have in most fields of biomedicine research. However, with 80 million years since rodents and primates last shared a common ancestor, the use of mice to model the development of the human brain is not without many shortcomings. The human brain diverges from the mouse brain in many aspects and is comprised of novel structures as well as diversified cellular subtypes. While these newly evolved features have no equivalent in rodents, they are observed in nonhuman primates. Therefore, elucidating the cellular mechanisms underlying the development and maturation of the healthy and diseased human brain can be achieved using less complex nonhuman primates. Historically, macaques were the preferred nonhuman primate model. However, over the past decade, the New World marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus) has gained more importance, particularly in the field of neurodevelopment. With its small size, twin or triplet birth, and prosocial behavior, the marmoset is an ideal model to study normal brain development as well as neurodevelopmental disorders, which are often associated with abnormal social behaviors. The growing interest in the marmoset has prompted many comparative studies, all demonstrating that the marmoset brain closely resembles that of the human and is perfectly suited to model human brain development. The marmoset is thus poised to extend its influence in the field of neurodevelopment and will hopefully fill the gaps that the mouse has left in our understanding of how our brain forms and how neurodevelopmental disorders originate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihane Homman-Ludiye
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - James A Bourne
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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16
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Kawaguchi A. Neuronal Delamination and Outer Radial Glia Generation in Neocortical Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 8:623573. [PMID: 33614631 PMCID: PMC7892903 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.623573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
During neocortical development, many neuronally differentiating cells (neurons and intermediate progenitor cells) are generated at the apical/ventricular surface by the division of neural progenitor cells (apical radial glial cells, aRGs). Neurogenic cell delamination, in which these neuronally differentiating cells retract their apical processes and depart from the apical surface, is the first step of their migration. Since the microenvironment established by the apical endfeet is crucial for maintaining neuroepithelial (NE)/aRGs, proper timing of the detachment of the apical endfeet is critical for the quantitative control of neurogenesis in cerebral development. During delamination, the microtubule-actin-AJ (adherens junction) configuration at the apical endfeet shows dynamic changes, concurrent with the constriction of the AJ ring at the apical endfeet and downregulation of cadherin expression. This process is mediated by transcriptional suppression of AJ-related molecules and multiple cascades to regulate cell adhesion and cytoskeletal architecture in a posttranscriptional manner. Recent advances have added molecules to the latter category: the interphase centrosome protein AKNA affects microtubule dynamics to destabilize the microtubule-actin-AJ complex, and the microtubule-associated protein Lzts1 inhibits microtubule assembly and activates actomyosin systems at the apical endfeet of differentiating cells. Moreover, Lzts1 induces the oblique division of aRGs, and loss of Lzts1 reduces the generation of outer radial glia (oRGs, also called basal radial glia, bRGs), another type of neural progenitor cell in the subventricular zone. These findings suggest that neurogenic cell delamination, and in some cases oRG generation, could be caused by a spectrum of interlinked mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayano Kawaguchi
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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17
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Gross Morphology of the Cerebrum and Brainstem of the Adult African Grasscutter (Thryonomys Swinderianus—Temminck, 1827). FOLIA VETERINARIA 2020. [DOI: 10.2478/fv-2020-0039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
In order to meet the increasing protein and income demand in Africa due to the rapid population growth, wildlife, such as the African grasscutter, is currently bred and domesticated as microlivestock. This study is one of the series on the brain morphology of this very large rodent, aimed at providing information that is lacking in the literature. Here, the gross anatomy of the cerebrum and brainstem in nine adult African grasscutters is described. The cerebral cortex was smooth, devoid of gyri and sulci, thus, placing the rodent in the lissencephalic group of mammals. However, blood vessels on the cortex created arterial and venous impressions. The cortex was asymmetrically-tapered oval in shape. The rostral and caudal colliculi were exposed through the cerebral transverse fissure. The rostro-caudal extent of the corpus callosum was from the mid-point of the frontal and parietal lobes, to a point just rostral to the occipital lobe. The rostral colliculi were grossly smaller than the caudal colliculi. The occulomotor and trochlear nerves emerged from the ventral midbrain, rostral to the pons. The pons was exceptionally large; it was pre-trigeminal. On either side of the ventral median fissure of the medulla oblongata were conspicuous pyramids. The trapezoid bodies were also conspicuous. These, and other findings, will be useful in future phylogenetic comparison of rodent brain morphology.
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18
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García-Moreno F, Molnár Z. Variations of telencephalic development that paved the way for neocortical evolution. Prog Neurobiol 2020; 194:101865. [PMID: 32526253 PMCID: PMC7656292 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Charles Darwin stated, "community in embryonic structure reveals community of descent". Thus, to understand how the neocortex emerged during mammalian evolution we need to understand the evolution of the development of the pallium, the source of the neocortex. In this article, we review the variations in the development of the pallium that enabled the production of the six-layered neocortex. We propose that an accumulation of subtle modifications from very early brain development accounted for the diversification of vertebrate pallia and the origin of the neocortex. Initially, faint differences of expression of secretable morphogens promote a wide variety in the proportions and organization of sectors of the early pallium in different vertebrates. It prompted different sectors to host varied progenitors and distinct germinative zones. These cells and germinative compartments generate diverse neuronal populations that migrate and mix with each other through radial and tangential migrations in a taxon-specific fashion. Together, these early variations had a profound influence on neurogenetic gradients, lamination, positioning, and connectivity. Gene expression, hodology, and physiological properties of pallial neurons are important features to suggest homologies, but the origin of cells and their developmental trajectory are fundamental to understand evolutionary changes. Our review compares the development of the homologous pallial sectors in sauropsids and mammals, with a particular focus on cell lineage, in search of the key changes that led to the appearance of the mammalian neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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, 6th Floor, 48013, Bilbao, Spain; Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, UPV/EHU, Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain.
| | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Sherrington Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK.
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19
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Kennedy H, Wianny F, Dehay C. Determinants of primate neurogenesis and the deployment of top-down generative networks in the cortical hierarchy. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2020; 66:69-76. [PMID: 33099180 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2020.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
What I cannot create I do not understand - Richard Feynman 1978 Because primate cortical development exhibits numerous specific features, the mouse is an imperfect model for human cortical development. Expansion of supragranular neurons is an evolutionary feature characterizing the primate cortex. Increased production of supragranular neurons is supported by a germinal zone innovation of the primate cortex: the Outer SubVentricular Zone, which along with supragranular neurons constitute privileged targets of primate brain-specific gene evolution. The resulting cell-type diversity of human supragranular neurons link cell and molecular evolutionary changes in progenitors with the emergence of distinctive architectural features in the primate cortex. We propose that these changes are required for the expansion of the primate cortical hierarchy deploying top-down generative networks with potentially important consequences for the neurobiology of human psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Kennedy
- University of Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, Bron 69500, France; Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Shanghai 200031, China.
| | - Florence Wianny
- University of Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, Bron 69500, France
| | - Colette Dehay
- University of Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, Bron 69500, France.
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20
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Kalebic N, Huttner WB. Basal Progenitor Morphology and Neocortex Evolution. Trends Neurosci 2020; 43:843-853. [PMID: 32828546 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The evolutionary expansion of the mammalian neocortex is widely considered to be a basis of increased cognitive abilities. This expansion is a consequence of the enhanced production of neurons during the fetal/embryonic development of the neocortex, which in turn reflects an increased proliferative capacity of neural progenitor cells; in particular basal progenitors (BPs). The remarkable heterogeneity of BP subtypes across mammals, notably their various morphotypes and molecular fingerprints, which has recently been revealed, corroborates the importance of BPs for neocortical expansion. Here, we argue that the morphology of BPs is a key cell biological basis for maintaining their high proliferative capacity and therefore plays crucial roles in the evolutionary expansion of the neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nereo Kalebic
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany; Human Technopole, Milan, Italy.
| | - Wieland B Huttner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
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21
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Vaid S, Huttner WB. Transcriptional Regulators and Human-Specific/Primate-Specific Genes in Neocortical Neurogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21134614. [PMID: 32610533 PMCID: PMC7369782 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
During development, starting from a pool of pluripotent stem cells, tissue-specific genetic programs help to shape and develop functional organs. To understand the development of an organ and its disorders, it is important to understand the spatio-temporal dynamics of the gene expression profiles that occur during its development. Modifications in existing genes, the de-novo appearance of new genes, or, occasionally, even the loss of genes, can greatly affect the gene expression profile of any given tissue and contribute to the evolution of organs or of parts of organs. The neocortex is evolutionarily the most recent part of the brain, it is unique to mammals, and is the seat of our higher cognitive abilities. Progenitors that give rise to this tissue undergo sequential waves of differentiation to produce the complete sets of neurons and glial cells that make up a functional neocortex. We will review herein our understanding of the transcriptional regulators that control the neural precursor cells (NPCs) during the generation of the most abundant class of neocortical neurons, the glutametergic neurons. In addition, we will discuss the roles of recently-identified human- and primate-specific genes in promoting neurogenesis, leading to neocortical expansion.
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22
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Heide M, Haffner C, Murayama A, Kurotaki Y, Shinohara H, Okano H, Sasaki E, Huttner WB. Human-specific ARHGAP11B increases size and folding of primate neocortex in the fetal marmoset. Science 2020; 369:546-550. [PMID: 32554627 DOI: 10.1126/science.abb2401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The neocortex has expanded during mammalian evolution. Overexpression studies in developing mouse and ferret neocortex have implicated the human-specific gene ARHGAP11B in neocortical expansion, but the relevance for primate evolution has been unclear. Here, we provide functional evidence that ARHGAP11B causes expansion of the primate neocortex. ARHGAP11B expressed in fetal neocortex of the common marmoset under control of the gene's own (human) promoter increased the numbers of basal radial glia progenitors in the marmoset outer subventricular zone, increased the numbers of upper-layer neurons, enlarged the neocortex, and induced its folding. Thus, the human-specific ARHGAP11B drives changes in development in the nonhuman primate marmoset that reflect the changes in evolution that characterize human neocortical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Heide
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Christiane Haffner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Ayako Murayama
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.,Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako City, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Yoko Kurotaki
- Department of Marmoset Biology and Medicine, Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki 210-0821, Japan
| | - Haruka Shinohara
- Department of Marmoset Biology and Medicine, Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki 210-0821, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.,Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako City, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Erika Sasaki
- Department of Marmoset Biology and Medicine, Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki 210-0821, Japan
| | - Wieland B Huttner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
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23
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Bertacchi M, Romano AL, Loubat A, Tran Mau-Them F, Willems M, Faivre L, Khau van Kien P, Perrin L, Devillard F, Sorlin A, Kuentz P, Philippe C, Garde A, Neri F, Di Giaimo R, Oliviero S, Cappello S, D'Incerti L, Frassoni C, Studer M. NR2F1 regulates regional progenitor dynamics in the mouse neocortex and cortical gyrification in BBSOAS patients. EMBO J 2020; 39:e104163. [PMID: 32484994 PMCID: PMC7327499 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2019104163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationships between impaired cortical development and consequent malformations in neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as the genes implicated in these processes, are not fully elucidated to date. In this study, we report six novel cases of patients affected by BBSOAS (Boonstra‐Bosch‐Schaff optic atrophy syndrome), a newly emerging rare neurodevelopmental disorder, caused by loss‐of‐function mutations of the transcriptional regulator NR2F1. Young patients with NR2F1 haploinsufficiency display mild to moderate intellectual disability and show reproducible polymicrogyria‐like brain malformations in the parietal and occipital cortex. Using a recently established BBSOAS mouse model, we found that Nr2f1 regionally controls long‐term self‐renewal of neural progenitor cells via modulation of cell cycle genes and key cortical development master genes, such as Pax6. In the human fetal cortex, distinct NR2F1 expression levels encompass gyri and sulci and correlate with local degrees of neurogenic activity. In addition, reduced NR2F1 levels in cerebral organoids affect neurogenesis and PAX6 expression. We propose NR2F1 as an area‐specific regulator of mouse and human brain morphology and a novel causative gene of abnormal gyrification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Bertacchi
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Paris, France.,Clinical and Experimental Epileptology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Agnès Loubat
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Paris, France
| | - Frederic Tran Mau-Them
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Dijon, France.,Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic Génomique des Maladies Rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Marjolaine Willems
- Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve, Service de Génétique Médicale, CHU de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Laurence Faivre
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Dijon, France.,Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic Génomique des Maladies Rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France.,Centre de Référence maladies rares « Anomalies du développement et syndromes malformatifs », Centre de Génétique, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Philippe Khau van Kien
- Hôpital Carémeau, UF de Génétique Médicale et Cytogénétique, Centre de Compétences Anomalies du Développement et Syndromes Malformatifs, CHU de Nîmes, Nîmes, France
| | - Laurence Perrin
- Unité Fonctionnelle de Génétique Clinique, Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris, France
| | - Françoise Devillard
- Département de Génétique et Procréation, Hôpital Couple-Enfant, CHU de Grenoble, Grenoble, France
| | - Arthur Sorlin
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Dijon, France.,Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic Génomique des Maladies Rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France.,Centre de Référence maladies rares « Anomalies du développement et syndromes malformatifs », Centre de Génétique, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France.,Centre de référence maladies rares « Déficiences intellectuelles de causes rares », Centre de Génétique, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Paul Kuentz
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Dijon, France.,Génétique Biologique, PCBio, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Besançon, Besançon, France
| | - Christophe Philippe
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Dijon, France.,Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic Génomique des Maladies Rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Aurore Garde
- Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic Génomique des Maladies Rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France.,Centre de Référence maladies rares « Anomalies du développement et syndromes malformatifs », Centre de Génétique, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Francesco Neri
- Epigenetics Unit, Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,Leibniz Institute on Aging, Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | - Rossella Di Giaimo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy.,Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, München, Germany
| | - Salvatore Oliviero
- Epigenetics Unit, Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Ludovico D'Incerti
- Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | - Carolina Frassoni
- Clinical and Experimental Epileptology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | - Michèle Studer
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Paris, France
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24
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Akter M, Kaneko N, Herranz-Pérez V, Nakamura S, Oishi H, García-Verdugo JM, Sawamoto K. Dynamic Changes in the Neurogenic Potential in the Ventricular-Subventricular Zone of Common Marmoset during Postnatal Brain Development. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:4092-4109. [PMID: 32108222 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Even after birth, neuronal production continues in the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) and hippocampus in many mammals. The immature new neurons ("neuroblasts") migrate and then mature at their final destination. In humans, neuroblast production and migration toward the neocortex and the olfactory bulb (OB) occur actively only for a few months after birth and then sharply decline with age. However, the precise spatiotemporal profiles and fates of postnatally born neurons remain unclear due to methodological limitations. We previously found that common marmosets, small nonhuman primates, share many features of V-SVZ organization with humans. Here, using marmosets injected with thymidine analogue(s) during various postnatal periods, we demonstrated spatiotemporal changes in neurogenesis during development. V-SVZ progenitor proliferation and neuroblast migration toward the OB and neocortex sharply decreased by 4 months, most strikingly in a V-SVZ subregion from which neuroblasts migrated toward the neocortex. Postnatally born neurons matured within a few months in the OB and hippocampus but remained immature until 6 months in the neocortex. While neurogenic activity was sustained for a month after birth, the distribution and/or differentiation diversity was more restricted in 1-month-born cells than in the neonatal-born population. These findings shed light on distinctive features of postnatal neurogenesis in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariyam Akter
- Department of Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology, Institute of Brain Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan.,Department of Pharmacy, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Naoko Kaneko
- Department of Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology, Institute of Brain Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan.,Division of Neural Development and Regeneration, National Institute of Physiological Sciences, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
| | - Vicente Herranz-Pérez
- Laboratory of Comparative Neurobiology, Instituto Cavanilles, Universidad de Valencia, 46980 Valencia, Spain.,Predepartmental Unit of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castelló de la Plana, Spain
| | - Sayuri Nakamura
- Department of Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology, Institute of Brain Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Hisashi Oishi
- Department of Comparative and Experimental Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Jose Manuel García-Verdugo
- Laboratory of Comparative Neurobiology, Instituto Cavanilles, Universidad de Valencia, 46980 Valencia, Spain
| | - Kazunobu Sawamoto
- Department of Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology, Institute of Brain Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan.,Division of Neural Development and Regeneration, National Institute of Physiological Sciences, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
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25
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Yin C, Zhou X, Yao YG, Wang W, Wu Q, Wang X. Abundant Self-Amplifying Intermediate Progenitors in the Subventricular Zone of the Chinese Tree Shrew Neocortex. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:3370-3380. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
During evolution, neural progenitor cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ) have fundamental functions, ranging from brain volume expansion to the generation of a six-layered neocortex. In lissencephalic animal models, such as rodents, the majority of neural progenitors in the SVZ are intermediate progenitor cells (IPCs). Most IPCs in rodents undergo neurogenic division, and only a small portion of them divide a very limited number of times to generate a few neurons. Meanwhile, in gyrencephalic animals, such as primates, IPCs are able to self-renew for up to five successive divisions. However, abundant IPCs with successive proliferative capacity have not been directly observed in nonprimate species. In this study, we examined the development of neural progenitors in the Chinese tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis), a lissencephalic animal with closer affinity than rodents to primates. We identified an expansion of the SVZ and the presence of outer radial glial (oRG) cells in the neocortex. We also found that IPCs have the capacity to self-amplify multiple times and therefore serve as major proliferative progenitors. To our knowledge, our study provides the first direct evidence of abundant IPCs with proliferative potential in a nonprimate species, further supporting the key role of IPCs in brain expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chonghai Yin
- School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Brain-Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Brain-Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yong-Gang Yao
- Kunming Primate Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Brain-Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Qian Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xiaoqun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Brain-Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100069, China
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26
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Emerging Roles of Long Non-Coding RNAs as Drivers of Brain Evolution. Cells 2019; 8:cells8111399. [PMID: 31698782 PMCID: PMC6912723 DOI: 10.3390/cells8111399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian genomes encode tens of thousands of long-noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are capable of interactions with DNA, RNA and protein molecules, thereby enabling a variety of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory activities. Strikingly, about 40% of lncRNAs are expressed specifically in the brain with precisely regulated temporal and spatial expression patterns. In stark contrast to the highly conserved repertoire of protein-coding genes, thousands of lncRNAs have newly appeared during primate nervous system evolution with hundreds of human-specific lncRNAs. Their evolvable nature and the myriad of potential functions make lncRNAs ideal candidates for drivers of human brain evolution. The human brain displays the largest relative volume of any animal species and the most remarkable cognitive abilities. In addition to brain size, structural reorganization and adaptive changes represent crucial hallmarks of human brain evolution. lncRNAs are increasingly reported to be involved in neurodevelopmental processes suggested to underlie human brain evolution, including proliferation, neurite outgrowth and synaptogenesis, as well as in neuroplasticity. Hence, evolutionary human brain adaptations are proposed to be essentially driven by lncRNAs, which will be discussed in this review.
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27
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Abstract
The neocortex is the largest part of the mammalian brain and is the seat of our higher cognitive functions. This outstanding neural structure increased massively in size and complexity during evolution in a process recapitulated today during the development of extant mammals. Accordingly, defects in neocortical development commonly result in severe intellectual and social deficits. Thus, understanding the development of the neocortex benefits from understanding its evolution and disease and also informs about their underlying mechanisms. Here, I briefly summarize the most recent and outstanding advances in our understanding of neocortical development and focus particularly on dorsal progenitors and excitatory neurons. I place special emphasis on the specification of neural stem cells in distinct classes and their proliferation and production of neurons and then discuss recent findings on neuronal migration. Recent discoveries on the genetic evolution of neocortical development are presented with a particular focus on primates. Progress on all these fronts is being accelerated by high-throughput gene expression analyses and particularly single-cell transcriptomics. I end with novel insights into the involvement of microglia in embryonic brain development and how improvements in cultured cerebral organoids are gradually consolidating them as faithful models of neocortex development in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Borrell
- Institute of Neuroscience, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) - Universidad Miguel Hernández, Ramon y Cajal s/n, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain
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28
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Pinson A, Namba T, Huttner WB. Malformations of Human Neocortex in Development - Their Progenitor Cell Basis and Experimental Model Systems. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:305. [PMID: 31338027 PMCID: PMC6629864 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Malformations of the human neocortex in development constitute a heterogeneous group of complex disorders, resulting in pathologies such as intellectual disability and abnormal neurological/psychiatric conditions such as epilepsy or autism. Advances in genomic sequencing and genetic techniques have allowed major breakthroughs in the field, revealing the molecular basis of several of these malformations. Here, we focus on those malformations of the human neocortex, notably microcephaly, and macrocephaly, where an underlying basis has been established at the level of the neural stem/progenitor cells (NPCs) from which neurons are directly or indirectly derived. Particular emphasis is placed on NPC cell biology and NPC markers. A second focus of this review is on experimental model systems used to dissect the underlying mechanisms of malformations of the human neocortex in development at the cellular and molecular level. The most commonly used model system have been genetically modified mice. However, although basic features of neocortical development are conserved across the various mammalian species, some important differences between mouse and human exist. These pertain to the abundance of specific NPC types and/or their proliferative capacity, as exemplified in the case of basal radial glia. These differences limit the ability of mouse models to fully recapitulate the phenotypes of malformations of the human neocortex. For this reason, additional experimental model systems, notably the ferret, non-human primates and cerebral organoids, have recently emerged as alternatives and shown to be of increasing relevance. It is therefore important to consider the benefits and limitations of each of these model systems for studying malformations of the human neocortex in development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Takashi Namba
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Wieland B. Huttner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
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29
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Lzts1 controls both neuronal delamination and outer radial glial-like cell generation during mammalian cerebral development. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2780. [PMID: 31239441 PMCID: PMC6592889 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10730-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In the developing central nervous system, cell departure from the apical surface is the initial and fundamental step to form the 3D, organized architecture. Both delamination of differentiating cells and repositioning of progenitors to generate outer radial glial cells (oRGs) contribute to mammalian neocortical expansion; however, a comprehensive understanding of their mechanisms is lacking. Here, we demonstrate that Lzts1, a molecule associated with microtubule components, promotes both cell departure events. In neuronally committed cells, Lzts1 functions in apical delamination by altering apical junctional organization. In apical RGs (aRGs), Lzts1 expression is variable, depending on Hes1 expression levels. According to its differential levels, Lzts1 induces diverse RG behaviors: planar division, oblique divisions of aRGs that generate oRGs, and their mitotic somal translocation. Loss-of-function of lzts1 impairs all these cell departure processes. Thus, Lzts1 functions as a master modulator of cellular dynamics, contributing to increasing complexity of the cerebral architecture during evolution. Outer radial glial cells (oRGs) are undifferentiated cells that divide in the subventricular zone during neurodevelopment, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Here the authors show that Lzts1 positively controls both neuronal delamination and generation of oRG-like cell types.
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30
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Suzuki IK. Molecular drivers of human cerebral cortical evolution. Neurosci Res 2019; 151:1-14. [PMID: 31175883 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2019.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
One of the most important questions in human evolutionary biology is how our ancestor has acquired an expanded volume of the cerebral cortex, which may have significantly impacted on improving our cognitive abilities. Recent comparative approaches have identified developmental features unique to the human or hominid cerebral cortex, not shared with other animals including conventional experimental models. In addition, genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic signatures associated with human- or hominid-specific processes of the cortical development are becoming identified by virtue of technical progress in the deep nucleotide sequencing. This review discusses ontogenic and phylogenetic processes of the human cerebral cortex, followed by the introduction of recent comprehensive approaches identifying molecular mechanisms potentially driving the evolutionary changes in the cortical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikuo K Suzuki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 Japan; VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, KULeuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Université Libre de Bruxelles (U.L.B.), Institut de Recherches en Biologie Humaine et Moléculaire (IRIBHM), ULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI), 1070 Brussels, Belgium.
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31
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Rash BG, Duque A, Morozov YM, Arellano JI, Micali N, Rakic P. Gliogenesis in the outer subventricular zone promotes enlargement and gyrification of the primate cerebrum. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:7089-7094. [PMID: 30894491 PMCID: PMC6452694 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1822169116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The primate cerebrum is characterized by a large expansion of cortical surface area, the formation of convolutions, and extraordinarily voluminous subcortical white matter. It was recently proposed that this expansion is primarily driven by increased production of superficial neurons in the dramatically enlarged outer subventricular zone (oSVZ). Here, we examined the development of the parietal cerebrum in macaque monkey and found that, indeed, the oSVZ initially adds neurons to the superficial layers II and III, increasing their thickness. However, as the oSVZ grows in size, its output changes to production of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, which in primates outnumber cerebral neurons by a factor of three. After the completion of neurogenesis around embryonic day (E) 90, when the cerebrum is still lissencephalic, the oSVZ enlarges and contains Pax6+/Hopx+ outer (basal) radial glial cells producing astrocytes and oligodendrocytes until after E125. Our data indicate that oSVZ gliogenesis, rather than neurogenesis, correlates with rapid enlargement of the cerebrum and development of convolutions, which occur concomitantly with the formation of cortical connections via the underlying white matter, in addition to neuronal growth, elaboration of dendrites, and amplification of neuropil in the cortex, which are primary factors in the formation of cerebral convolutions in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian G Rash
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520
| | - Alvaro Duque
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520
| | - Yury M Morozov
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520
| | - Jon I Arellano
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520
| | - Nicola Micali
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520
| | - Pasko Rakic
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520;
- Kavli Institute for Neuroscience at Yale, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520
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32
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Halley AC, Krubitzer L. Not all cortical expansions are the same: the coevolution of the neocortex and the dorsal thalamus in mammals. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2019; 56:78-86. [PMID: 30658218 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 11/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
A central question in comparative neurobiology concerns how evolution has produced brains with expanded neocortices, composed of more areas with unique connectivity and functional properties. Some mammalian lineages, such as primates, exhibit exceptionally large cortices relative to the amount of sensory inputs from the dorsal thalamus, and this expansion is associated with a larger number of distinct cortical areas, composing a larger proportion of the cortical sheet. We propose a link between the organization of the neocortex and its expansion relative to the size of the dorsal thalamus, based on a combination of work in comparative neuroanatomy and experimental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Halley
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Leah Krubitzer
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, CA, United States; Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, United States.
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33
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Llinares-Benadero C, Borrell V. Deconstructing cortical folding: genetic, cellular and mechanical determinants. Nat Rev Neurosci 2019; 20:161-176. [DOI: 10.1038/s41583-018-0112-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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34
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Rueda-Alaña E, Martínez-Garay I, Encinas JM, Molnár Z, García-Moreno F. Dbx1-Derived Pyramidal Neurons Are Generated Locally in the Developing Murine Neocortex. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:792. [PMID: 30429769 PMCID: PMC6220037 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The neocortex (NCx) generates at the dorsal region of the pallium in the forebrain. Several adjacent structures also contribute with neurons to NCx. Ventral pallium (VP) is considered to generate several populations of neurons that arrive through tangential migration to the NCx. Amongst them are the Cajal-Retzius cells and some transient pyramidal neurons. However, the specific site and timing of generation, trajectory of migration and actual contribution to the pyramidal population remains elusive. Here, we investigate the spatio-temporal origin of neuronal populations from VP in an in vivo model, using a transposase mediated in utero electroporation method in embryonic mouse. From E11 to E14 cells born at the lateral corner of the neocortical neuroepithelium including the VP migrated ventro-laterally to settle all areas of the ventral telencephalon. Specifically, neurons migrated into amygdala (Ag), olfactory cortices, and claustrum (Cl). However, we found no evidence for any neurons migrating tangentially toward the NCx, regardless the antero-posterior level and developmental time of the electroporation. Our results challenge the described ventral-pallial origin of the transient pyramidal neuron population. In order to find the exact origin of cortical neurons that were previously Dbx1-fate mapped we used the promoter region of the murine Dbx1 locus to selectively target Dbx1-expressing progenitors and label their lineage. We found these progenitors in low numbers in all pallial areas, and not only in the ventral pallial ventricular zone. Our findings on the local cortical origin of the Dbx1-derived pyramidal neurons reconcile the observation of Dbx1-derived neurons in the cortex without evidence of dorsal tangential migration from VP and provide a new framework for the origin of the transient Dbx1-derived pyramidal neuron population. We conclude that these neurons are born locally within the dorsal pallial neuroepithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eneritz Rueda-Alaña
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Edificio Sede del Parque Científico de la UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
| | - Isabel Martínez-Garay
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Juan Manuel Encinas
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Edificio Sede del Parque Científico de la UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
- Ikerbasque – Basque Foundation for Science, María Díaz de Haro, Bilbao, Spain
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Fernando García-Moreno
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Edificio Sede del Parque Científico de la UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Ikerbasque – Basque Foundation for Science, María Díaz de Haro, Bilbao, Spain
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35
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Reillo I, de Juan Romero C, Cárdenas A, Clascá F, Martínez-Martinez MÁ, Borrell V. A Complex Code of Extrinsic Influences on Cortical Progenitor Cells of Higher Mammals. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:4586-4606. [PMID: 28922855 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of the cerebral cortex depends critically on the regulation of progenitor cell proliferation and fate. Cortical progenitor cells are remarkably diverse with regard to their morphology as well as laminar and areal position. Extrinsic factors, such as thalamic axons, have been proposed to play key roles in progenitor cell regulation, but the diversity, extent and timing of interactions between extrinsic elements and each class of cortical progenitor cell in higher mammals remain undefined. Here we use the ferret to demonstrate the existence of a complex set of extrinsic elements that may interact, alone or in combination, with subpopulations of progenitor cells, defining a code of extrinsic influences. This code and its complexity vary significantly between developmental stages, layer of residence and morphology of progenitor cells. By analyzing the spatial-temporal overlap of progenitor cell subtypes with neuronal and axonal populations, we show that multiple sets of migrating neurons and axon tracts overlap extensively with subdivisions of the Subventricular Zones, in an exquisite lamina-specific pattern. Our findings provide a framework for understanding the feedback influence of both intra- and extra-cortical elements onto progenitor cells to modulate their dynamics and fate decisions in gyrencephalic brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Reillo
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain.,Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, IBV-CSIC, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Camino de Juan Romero
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Adrián Cárdenas
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Francisco Clascá
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Ángeles Martínez-Martinez
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Víctor Borrell
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
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36
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PARD3 dysfunction in conjunction with dynamic HIPPO signaling drives cortical enlargement with massive heterotopia. Genes Dev 2018; 32:763-780. [PMID: 29899142 PMCID: PMC6049519 DOI: 10.1101/gad.313171.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In this study, Liu et al. investigated the molecular mechanisms regulating the proper organization and orderly mitosis of radial glial progenitors (RGPs), which drive the formation of a laminated mammalian cortex in the correct size. They show that RGP behavior and cortical development are controlled by partitioning-defective 3 (PARD3) in concert with dynamic HIPPO and NOTCH signaling regulation, thus providing new insights into mammalian cortical development. Proper organization and orderly mitosis of radial glial progenitors (RGPs) drive the formation of a laminated mammalian cortex in the correct size. However, the molecular underpinnings of the intricate process remain largely unclear. Here we show that RGP behavior and cortical development are controlled by temporally distinct actions of partitioning-defective 3 (PARD3) in concert with dynamic HIPPO signaling. RGPs lacking PARD3 exhibit developmental stage-dependent abnormal switches in division mode, resulting in an initial overproduction of RGPs located largely outside the ventricular zone at the expense of deep-layer neurons. Ectopically localized RGPs subsequently undergo accelerated and excessive neurogenesis, leading to the formation of an enlarged cortex with massive heterotopia and increased seizure susceptibility. Simultaneous removal of HIPPO pathway effectors Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) suppresses cortical enlargement and heterotopia formation. These results define a dynamic regulatory program of mammalian cortical development and highlight a progenitor origin of megalencephaly with ribbon heterotopia and epilepsy.
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37
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Abstract
Primary microcephaly (MCPH, for "microcephaly primary hereditary") is a disorder of brain development that results in a head circumference more than 3 standard deviations below the mean for age and gender. It has a wide variety of causes, including toxic exposures, in utero infections, and metabolic conditions. While the genetic microcephaly syndromes are relatively rare, studying these syndromes can reveal molecular mechanisms that are critical in the regulation of neural progenitor cells, brain size, and human brain evolution. Many of the causative genes for MCPH encode centrosomal proteins involved in centriole biogenesis. However, other MCPH genes fall under different mechanistic categories, notably DNA replication and repair. Recent gene discoveries and functional studies have implicated novel cellular processes, such as cytokinesis, centromere and kinetochore function, transmembrane or intracellular transport, Wnt signaling, and autophagy, as well as the apical polarity complex. Thus, MCPH genes implicate a wide variety of molecular and cellular mechanisms in the regulation of cerebral cortical size during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Jayaraman
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.,Harvard-MIT MD-PhD Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.,Current affiliation: Boston Combined Residency Program (Child Neurology), Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA;
| | - Byoung-Il Bae
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA;
| | - Christopher A Walsh
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA.,Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA;
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38
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Römer S, Bender H, Knabe W, Zimmermann E, Rübsamen R, Seeger J, Fietz SA. Neural Progenitors in the Developing Neocortex of the Northern Tree Shrew ( Tupaia belangeri) Show a Closer Relationship to Gyrencephalic Primates Than to Lissencephalic Rodents. Front Neuroanat 2018; 12:29. [PMID: 29725291 PMCID: PMC5917011 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2018.00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The neocortex is the most complex part of the mammalian brain and as such it has undergone tremendous expansion during evolution, especially in primates. The majority of neocortical neurons originate from distinct neural stem and progenitor cells (NPCs) located in the ventricular and subventricular zone (SVZ). Previous studies revealed that the SVZ thickness as well as the abundance and distribution of NPCs, especially that of basal radial glia (bRG), differ markedly between the lissencephalic rodent and gyrencephalic primate neocortex. The northern tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri) is a rat-sized mammal with a high brain to body mass ratio, which stands phylogenetically mid-way between rodents and primates. Our study provides – for the first time – detailed data on the presence, abundance and distribution of bRG and other distinct NPCs in the developing neocortex of the northern tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri). We show that the developing tree shrew neocortex is characterized by an expanded SVZ, a high abundance of Pax6+ NPCs in the SVZ, and a relatively high percentage of bRG at peak of upper-layer neurogenesis. We further demonstrate that key features of tree shrew neocortex development, e.g., the presence, abundance and distribution of distinct NPCs, are closer related to those of gyrencephalic primates than to those of ferret and lissencephalic rodents. Together, our study provides novel insight into the evolution of bRG and other distinct NPCs in the neocortex development of Euarchontoglires and introduces the tree shrew as a potential novel model organism in the area of human brain development and developmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Römer
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hannah Bender
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Knabe
- Prosektur Anatomie, Medizinische Fakultät, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Elke Zimmermann
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Hanover, Germany
| | - Rudolf Rübsamen
- Institute of Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Johannes Seeger
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Simone A Fietz
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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39
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Abstract
The noncoding portion of the genome, including microRNAs, has been fertile evolutionary soil for cortical development in primates. A major contribution to cortical expansion in primates is the generation of novel precursor cell populations. Because miRNA expression profiles track closely with cell identity, it is likely that numerous novel microRNAs have contributed to cellular diversity in the brain. The tools to determine the genomic context within which novel microRNAs emerge and how they become integrated into molecular circuitry are now in hand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth S Kosik
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA;
| | - Tomasz Nowakowski
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, USA.,Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, USA
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40
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de Juan Romero C, Borrell V. Genetic maps and patterns of cerebral cortex folding. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2017; 49:31-37. [PMID: 29227862 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2017.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Folding of the cerebral cortex during brain development is a complex process that depends on the orchestrated action of a number of factors, including generation and proliferation of basal progenitor cells, and the radial migration of neurons. Patterns of primary cortical folding are stereotyped between individuals and across phylogeny, reflecting a strong genetic regulation of the underlying cellular mechanisms. Here we summarize recent findings on cellular and genetic mechanisms regulating this fascinating process that underlies expansion and functional complexification of the mammalian cerebral cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camino de Juan Romero
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas & Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Víctor Borrell
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas & Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain.
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41
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González-Arnay E, González-Gómez M, Meyer G. A Radial Glia Fascicle Leads Principal Neurons from the Pallial-Subpallial Boundary into the Developing Human Insula. Front Neuroanat 2017; 11:111. [PMID: 29259547 PMCID: PMC5723317 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2017.00111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The human insular lobe, in the depth of the Sylvian fissure, displays three main cytoarchitectonic divisions defined by the differentiation of granular layers II and IV. These comprise a rostro-ventral agranular area, an intermediate dysgranular area, and a dorso-caudal granular area. Immunohistochemistry in human embryos and fetuses using antibodies against PCNA, Vimentin, Nestin, Tbr1, and Tb2 reveals that the insular cortex is unique in that it develops far away from the ventricular zone (VZ), with most of its principal neurons deriving from the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the pallial-subpallial boundary (PSB). In human embryos (Carnegie stage 16/17), the rostro-ventral insula is the first cortical region to develop; its Tbr1+ neurons migrate from the PSB along the lateral cortical stream. From 10 gestational weeks (GW) onward, lateral ventricle, ganglionic eminences, and PSB grow forming a C-shaped curvature. The SVZ of the PSB gives rise to a distinct radial glia fiber fascicle (RGF), which courses lateral to the putamen in the external capsule. In the RGF, four components can be established: PF, descending from the prefrontal PSB to the anterior insula; FP, descending from the fronto-parietal PSB toward the intermediate insula; PT, coursing from the PSB near the parieto-temporal junction to the posterior insula, and T, ascending from the temporal PSB and merging with components FP and PT. The RGF fans out at different dorso-ventral and rostro-caudal levels of the insula, with descending fibers predominating over ascending ones. The RGF guides migrating principal neurons toward the future agranular, dysgranular, and granular insular areas, which show an adult-like definition at 32 GW. Despite the narrow subplate, and the absence of an intermediate zone except in the caudal insula, most insular subdivisions develop into a 6-layered isocortex, possibly due to the well developed outer SVZ at the PSB, which is particularly prominent at the level of the dorso-caudal insula. The small size of the initial PSB sector may, however, determine the limited surface expansion of the insula, which is in contrast to the exuberant growth of the opercula deriving from the adjacent frontal-parietal and temporal VZ/SVZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilio González-Arnay
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Basic Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Miriam González-Gómez
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Basic Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Gundela Meyer
- Unit of Histology, Department of Basic Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
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42
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Goffinet AM. The evolution of cortical development: the synapsid-diapsid divergence. Development 2017; 144:4061-4077. [PMID: 29138289 DOI: 10.1242/dev.153908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex covers the rostral part of the brain and, in higher mammals and particularly humans, plays a key role in cognition and consciousness. It is populated with neuronal cell bodies distributed in radially organized layers. Understanding the common and lineage-specific molecular mechanisms that orchestrate cortical development and evolution are key issues in neurobiology. During evolution, the cortex appeared in stem amniotes and evolved divergently in two main branches of the phylogenetic tree: the synapsids (which led to present day mammals) and the diapsids (reptiles and birds). Comparative studies in organisms that belong to those two branches have identified some common principles of cortical development and organization that are possibly inherited from stem amniotes and regulated by similar molecular mechanisms. These comparisons have also highlighted certain essential features of mammalian cortices that are absent or different in diapsids and that probably evolved after the synapsid-diapsid divergence. Chief among these is the size and multi-laminar organization of the mammalian cortex, and the propensity to increase its area by folding. Here, I review recent data on cortical neurogenesis, neuronal migration and cortical layer formation and folding in this evolutionary perspective, and highlight important unanswered questions for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre M Goffinet
- University of Louvain, Avenue Mounier, 73 Box B1.73.16, B1200 Brussels, Belgium
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43
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Liu J, Liu W, Yang L, Wu Q, Zhang H, Fang A, Li L, Xu X, Sun L, Zhang J, Tang F, Wang X. The Primate-Specific Gene TMEM14B Marks Outer Radial Glia Cells and Promotes Cortical Expansion and Folding. Cell Stem Cell 2017; 21:635-649.e8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2017.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Revised: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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44
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Li R, Sun L, Fang A, Li P, Wu Q, Wang X. Recapitulating cortical development with organoid culture in vitro and modeling abnormal spindle-like (ASPM related primary) microcephaly disease. Protein Cell 2017; 8:823-833. [PMID: 29058117 PMCID: PMC5676597 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-017-0479-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of a cerebral organoid culture in vitro offers an opportunity to generate human brain-like organs to investigate mechanisms of human disease that are specific to the neurogenesis of radial glial (RG) and outer radial glial (oRG) cells in the ventricular zone (VZ) and subventricular zone (SVZ) of the developing neocortex. Modeling neuronal progenitors and the organization that produces mature subcortical neuron subtypes during early stages of development is essential for studying human brain developmental diseases. Several previous efforts have shown to grow neural organoid in culture dishes successfully, however we demonstrate a new paradigm that recapitulates neocortical development process with VZ, OSVZ formation and the lamination organization of cortical layer structure. In addition, using patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with dysfunction of the Aspm gene from a primary microcephaly patient, we demonstrate neurogenesis defects result in defective neuronal activity in patient organoids, suggesting a new strategy to study human developmental diseases in central nerve system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Le Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Ai Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Peng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Qian Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Xiaoqun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, 100069, China.
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Martínez-Cerdeño V, García-Moreno F, Tosches MA, Csillag A, Manger PR, Molnár Z. Update on forebrain evolution: From neurogenesis to thermogenesis. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 76:15-22. [PMID: 28964836 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.09.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Comparative developmental studies provide growing understanding of vertebrate forebrain evolution. This short review directs the spotlight to some newly emerging aspects, including the evolutionary origin of the proliferative region known as the subventricular zone (SVZ) and of intermediate progenitor cells (IPCs) that populate the SVZ, neural circuits that originated within homologous regions across all amniotes, and the role of thermogenesis in the acquisition of an increased brain size. These data were presented at the 8th European Conference on Comparative Neurobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Martínez-Cerdeño
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Davis, USA; Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine and Shriners Hospitals for Children Northern California, USA; MIND Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, CA, USA.
| | - Fernando García-Moreno
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Parque Científico UPV/EHU Edif. Sede, E-48940 Leioa, Spain
| | | | - András Csillag
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Faculty of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Paul R Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa
| | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QX, UK.
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46
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Lein ES, Belgard TG, Hawrylycz M, Molnár Z. Transcriptomic Perspectives on Neocortical Structure, Development, Evolution, and Disease. Annu Rev Neurosci 2017; 40:629-652. [PMID: 28661727 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-070815-013858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex is the source of our most complex cognitive capabilities and a vulnerable target of many neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Transcriptomics offers a new approach to understanding the cortex at the level of its underlying genetic code, and rapid technological advances have propelled this field to the high-throughput study of the complete set of transcribed genes at increasingly fine resolution to the level of individual cells. These tools have revealed features of the genetic architecture of adult cortical areas, layers, and cell types, as well as spatiotemporal patterning during development. This has allowed a fresh look at comparative anatomy as well, illustrating surprisingly large differences between mammals while at the same time revealing conservation of some features from avians to mammals. Finally, transcriptomics is fueling progress in understanding the causes of neurodevelopmental diseases such as autism, linking genetic association studies to specific molecular pathways and affected brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ed S Lein
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, Washington 98103; ,
| | | | | | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QX, United Kingdom;
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Hatakeyama J, Sato H, Shimamura K. Developing guinea pig brain as a model for cortical folding. Dev Growth Differ 2017; 59:286-301. [PMID: 28585227 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex in mammals, the neocortex specifically, is highly diverse among species with respect to its size and morphology, likely reflecting the immense adaptiveness of this lineage. In particular, the pattern and number of convoluted ridges and fissures, called gyri and sulci, respectively, on the surface of the cortex are variable among species and even individuals. However, little is known about the mechanism of cortical folding, although there have been several hypotheses proposed. Recent studies on embryonic neurogenesis revealed the differences in cortical progenitors as a critical factor of the process of gyrification. Here, we investigated the gyrification processes using developing guinea pig brains that form a simple but fundamental pattern of gyri. In addition, we established an electroporation-mediated gene transfer method for guinea pig embryos. We introduce the guinea pig brain as a useful model system to understand the mechanisms and basic principle of cortical folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Hatakeyama
- Department of Brain Morphogenesis, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Haruka Sato
- Department of Brain Morphogenesis, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Kenji Shimamura
- Department of Brain Morphogenesis, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
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48
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Heng X, Guo Q, Leung AW, Li JY. Analogous mechanism regulating formation of neocortical basal radial glia and cerebellar Bergmann glia. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28489004 PMCID: PMC5457141 DOI: 10.7554/elife.23253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Neocortical basal radial glia (bRG) and cerebellar Bergmann glia (BG) are basal progenitors derived from ventricular apical radial glia (aRG) that selectively lose their apical processes. bRG and BG have been implicated in the expansion and folding of the cerebrum and cerebellum, respectively. Here, we analyzed the molecular characteristics and development of bRG and BG. Transcriptomic comparison revealed striking similarity of the molecular features of bRG and BG. We found that heightened ERK signaling activity in aRG is tightly linked to the temporal formation and the relative abundance of bRG in human and mouse cortices. Forced activation of an FGF-ERK-ETV axis that is crucial to BG induction specifically induced bRG with canonical human bRG features in mice. Therefore, our data point to a common mechanism of bRG and BG generation, bearing implications to the role for these basal progenitors in the evolution of cortical folding of the cerebrum and cerebellum. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23253.001 The outer layer of the brain of a mammal, called the cortex, helps support mental abilities such as memory, attention and thought. In rodents, the cortex is smooth whereas in primates it is organized into folds. These folds increase the surface area of the brain and thus the number of neurons it can contain, which may in turn increase its processing power. Folding occurs as the brain develops in the womb. Specialized cells called basal or outer radial glia, which are more abundant in humans than in rodents, are believed to trigger the folding process. Another area of the brain, called the cerebellum, is intricately folded in both rodents and humans. As the brain develops, cells within the cerebellum called Bergmann glia cause the tissue to fold. Bergmann glia and basal radial glia share a number of similarities, but it was not known whether the same molecular pathway might regulate both types of cell. Now, Heng et al. show that Bergmann glia in the cerebellums of mice and basal radial glia in human cortex contain similar sets of active genes. Moreover, the molecular pathway that gives rise to Bergmann glia in mice is also active in the cortex of both mice and humans. However, it is much more active in humans, leading Heng et al. to speculate that high levels of activity in this pathway might give rise to basal radial glia. Consistent with this prediction, artificially activating the pathway at high levels in mouse cortex triggered the formation of basal radial glia in mice too. These results thus suggest that a common mechanism generates both types of glial cells involved in brain folding. The work of Heng et al. lays the foundations for further studies into how these cells fold the brain and thus how they contribute to more complex mental abilities. Remaining questions to address are whether other species with Bergmann glia also have folded cerebellums, and whether incorrect development of basal radial glia in humans leads to disorders in which the cortex folds abnormally. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23253.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Heng
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, United States
| | - Qiuxia Guo
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, United States
| | - Alan W Leung
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, United States
| | - James Yh Li
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, United States.,Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Farmington, United States
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49
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Ortega JA, Memi F, Radonjic N, Filipovic R, Bagasrawala I, Zecevic N, Jakovcevski I. The Subventricular Zone: A Key Player in Human Neocortical Development. Neuroscientist 2017; 24:156-170. [PMID: 29254416 DOI: 10.1177/1073858417691009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
One of the main characteristics of the developing brain is that all neurons and the majority of macroglia originate first in the ventricular zone (VZ), next to the lumen of the cerebral ventricles, and later on in a secondary germinal area above the VZ, the subventricular zone (SVZ). The SVZ is a transient compartment mitotically active in humans for several gestational months. It serves as a major source of cortical projection neurons as well as an additional source of glial cells and potentially some interneuron subpopulations. The SVZ is subdivided into the smaller inner (iSVZ) and the expanded outer SVZ (oSVZ). The enlargement of the SVZ and, in particular, the emergence of the oSVZ are evolutionary adaptations that were critical to the expansion and unique cellular composition of the primate cerebral cortex. In this review, we discuss the cell types and organization of the human SVZ during the first half of the 40 weeks of gestation that comprise intrauterine development. We focus on this period as it is when the bulk of neurogenesis in the human cerebral cortex takes place. We consider how the survival and fate of SVZ cells depend on environmental influences, by analyzing the results from in vitro experiments with human cortical progenitor cells. This in vitro model is a powerful tool to better understand human neocortex formation and the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders, which in turn will facilitate the design of targeted preventive and/or therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Alberto Ortega
- 1 Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Fani Memi
- 1 Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Nevena Radonjic
- 1 Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.,2 Psychiatry Department, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Radmila Filipovic
- 1 Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Inseyah Bagasrawala
- 1 Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Nada Zecevic
- 1 Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Igor Jakovcevski
- 3 Institute for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, University Hospital Cologne, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,4 Experimental Neurophysiology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany
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50
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Giandomenico SL, Lancaster MA. Probing human brain evolution and development in organoids. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2017; 44:36-43. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2017.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2016] [Revised: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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