1
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Sun M, Gao Y, Li Z, Yang L, Liu G, Xu Z, Guo R, You Y, Yang Z. ERK signaling expands mammalian cortical radial glial cells and extends the neurogenic period. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2314802121. [PMID: 38498715 PMCID: PMC10990156 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314802121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The molecular basis for cortical expansion during evolution remains largely unknown. Here, we report that fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling promotes the self-renewal and expansion of cortical radial glial (RG) cells. Furthermore, FGF-ERK signaling induces bone morphogenic protein 7 (Bmp7) expression in cortical RG cells, which increases the length of the neurogenic period. We demonstrate that ERK signaling and Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling mutually inhibit each other in cortical RG cells. We provide evidence that ERK signaling is elevated in cortical RG cells during development and evolution. We propose that the expansion of the mammalian cortex, notably in human, is driven by the ERK-BMP7-GLI3R signaling pathway in cortical RG cells, which participates in a positive feedback loop through antagonizing SHH signaling. We also propose that the relatively short cortical neurogenic period in mice is partly due to mouse cortical RG cells receiving higher SHH signaling that antagonizes ERK signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengge Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Yanjing Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Zhenmeiyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Lin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Guoping Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Zhejun Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Rongliang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Yan You
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Zhengang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
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2
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Kim SN, Viswanadham VV, Doan RN, Dou Y, Bizzotto S, Khoshkhoo S, Huang AY, Yeh R, Chhouk B, Truong A, Chappell KM, Beaudin M, Barton A, Akula SK, Rento L, Lodato M, Ganz J, Szeto RA, Li P, Tsai JW, Hill RS, Park PJ, Walsh CA. Cell lineage analysis with somatic mutations reveals late divergence of neuronal cell types and cortical areas in human cerebral cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.06.565899. [PMID: 37986891 PMCID: PMC10659282 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.06.565899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian cerebral cortex shows functional specialization into regions with distinct neuronal compositions, most strikingly in the human brain, but little is known in about how cellular lineages shape cortical regional variation and neuronal cell types during development. Here, we use somatic single nucleotide variants (sSNVs) to map lineages of neuronal sub-types and cortical regions. Early-occurring sSNVs rarely respect Brodmann area (BA) borders, while late-occurring sSNVs mark neuron-generating clones with modest regional restriction, though descendants often dispersed into neighboring BAs. Nevertheless, in visual cortex, BA17 contains 30-70% more sSNVs compared to the neighboring BA18, with clones across the BA17/18 border distributed asymmetrically and thus displaying different cortex-wide dispersion patterns. Moreover, we find that excitatory neuron-generating clones with modest regional restriction consistently share low-mosaic sSNVs with some inhibitory neurons, suggesting significant co-generation of excitatory and some inhibitory neurons in the dorsal cortex. Our analysis reveals human-specific cortical cell lineage patterns, with both regional inhomogeneities in progenitor proliferation and late divergence of excitatory/inhibitory lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Nan Kim
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Department of Pediatrics, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, 02142, MA, USA
- Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
| | - Vinayak V. Viswanadham
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
| | - Ryan N. Doan
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Department of Pediatrics, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
| | - Yanmei Dou
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
| | - Sara Bizzotto
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Department of Pediatrics, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, 02142, MA, USA
| | - Sattar Khoshkhoo
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Department of Pediatrics, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, 02142, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
| | - August Yue Huang
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Department of Pediatrics, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, 02142, MA, USA
| | - Rebecca Yeh
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Department of Pediatrics, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
| | - Brian Chhouk
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Department of Pediatrics, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
| | - Alex Truong
- Research Computing, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
| | | | - Marc Beaudin
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Department of Pediatrics, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
| | - Alison Barton
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
| | - Shyam K. Akula
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Department of Pediatrics, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
| | - Lariza Rento
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Department of Pediatrics, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
| | - Michael Lodato
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Department of Pediatrics, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, 02142, MA, USA
| | - Javier Ganz
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Department of Pediatrics, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, 02142, MA, USA
| | - Ryan A. Szeto
- Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
| | - Pengpeng Li
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Department of Pediatrics, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, 02142, MA, USA
| | - Jessica W. Tsai
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Department of Pediatrics, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
| | - Robert Sean Hill
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Department of Pediatrics, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, 02142, MA, USA
| | - Peter J. Park
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
| | - Christopher A. Walsh
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Department of Pediatrics, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, 02142, MA, USA
- Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
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3
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Kaluthantrige Don F, Kalebic N. Forebrain Organoids to Model the Cell Biology of Basal Radial Glia in Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Brain Evolution. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:917166. [PMID: 35774229 PMCID: PMC9237216 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.917166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The acquisition of higher intellectual abilities that distinguish humans from their closest relatives correlates greatly with the expansion of the cerebral cortex. This expansion is a consequence of an increase in neuronal cell production driven by the higher proliferative capacity of neural progenitor cells, in particular basal radial glia (bRG). Furthermore, when the proliferation of neural progenitor cells is impaired and the final neuronal output is altered, severe neurodevelopmental disorders can arise. To effectively study the cell biology of human bRG, genetically accessible human experimental models are needed. With the pioneering success to isolate and culture pluripotent stem cells in vitro, we can now routinely investigate the developing human cerebral cortex in a dish using three-dimensional multicellular structures called organoids. Here, we will review the molecular and cell biological features of bRG that have recently been elucidated using brain organoids. We will further focus on the application of this simple model system to study in a mechanistically actionable way the molecular and cellular events in bRG that can lead to the onset of various neurodevelopmental diseases.
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4
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Thalamocortical axons regulate neurogenesis and laminar fates in the early sensory cortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2201355119. [PMID: 35613048 PMCID: PMC9295754 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2201355119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
This study addresses how the cerebral cortex is partitioned into specialized areas during development. Although both early embryonic patterning and postnatal synaptic input from sensory thalamic nuclei are known to be critical, early roles of thalamic axons in area-specific regulation of cortical neurogenesis are poorly understood. We examined this by developing a genetic mouse model in which thalamocortical projections fail to properly form during embryogenesis, and found these axons are required not only for an enhanced production of superficial layer neurons but also for promoting the layer 4 cell fate, a hallmark of the primary sensory cortex. These findings provide a mechanism by which thalamocortical axons complement the intrinsic programs of neurogenesis and early fate specification. Area-specific axonal projections from the mammalian thalamus shape unique cellular organization in target areas in the adult neocortex. How these axons control neurogenesis and early neuronal fate specification is poorly understood. By using mutant mice lacking the majority of thalamocortical axons, we show that these axons are required for the production and specification of the proper number of layer 4 neurons in primary sensory areas by the neonatal stage. Part of these area-specific roles is played by the thalamus-derived molecule, VGF. Our work reveals that extrinsic cues from sensory thalamic projections have an early role in the formation of cortical cytoarchitecture by enhancing the production and specification of layer 4 neurons.
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5
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Cossart R, Garel S. Step by step: cells with multiple functions in cortical circuit assembly. Nat Rev Neurosci 2022; 23:395-410. [DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00585-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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6
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Garcia KE, Wang X, Kroenke CD. A model of tension-induced fiber growth predicts white matter organization during brain folding. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6681. [PMID: 34795256 PMCID: PMC8602459 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26971-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The past decade has experienced renewed interest in the physical processes that fold the developing cerebral cortex. Biomechanical models and experiments suggest that growth of the cortex, outpacing growth of underlying subcortical tissue (prospective white matter), is sufficient to induce folding. However, current models do not explain the well-established links between white matter organization and fold morphology, nor do they consider subcortical remodeling that occurs during the period of folding. Here we propose a framework by which cortical folding may induce subcortical fiber growth and organization. Simulations incorporating stress-induced fiber elongation indicate that subcortical stresses resulting from folding are sufficient to induce stereotyped fiber organization beneath gyri and sulci. Model predictions are supported by high-resolution ex vivo diffusion tensor imaging of the developing rhesus macaque brain. Together, results provide support for the theory of cortical growth-induced folding and indicate that mechanical feedback plays a significant role in brain connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara E Garcia
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Evansville, IN, 47715, USA.
- Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
| | - Xiaojie Wang
- Oregon Health and Science University, Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Christopher D Kroenke
- Oregon Health and Science University, Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
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7
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Transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of temporal patterning in neural progenitors. Dev Biol 2021; 481:116-128. [PMID: 34666024 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.10.006] [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: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
During development, neural progenitors undergo temporal patterning as they age to sequentially generate differently fated progeny. Temporal patterning of neural progenitors is relatively well-studied in Drosophila. Temporal cascades of transcription factors or opposing temporal gradients of RNA-binding proteins are expressed in neural progenitors as they age to control the fates of the progeny. The temporal progression is mostly driven by intrinsic mechanisms including cross-regulations between temporal genes, but environmental cues also play important roles in certain transitions. Vertebrate neural progenitors demonstrate greater plasticity in response to extrinsic cues. Recent studies suggest that vertebrate neural progenitors are also temporally patterned by a combination of transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms in response to extracellular signaling to regulate neural fate specification. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the study of temporal patterning of neural progenitors in Drosophila and vertebrates. We also discuss the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms, specifically the Polycomb group complexes and ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes, in the temporal patterning of neural progenitors.
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8
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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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Kalebic N, Namba T. Inheritance and flexibility of cell polarity: a clue for understanding human brain development and evolution. Development 2021; 148:272121. [PMID: 34499710 PMCID: PMC8451944 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cell polarity is fundamentally important for understanding brain development. Here, we hypothesize that the inheritance and flexibility of cell polarity during neocortex development could be implicated in neocortical evolutionary expansion. Molecular and morphological features of cell polarity may be inherited from one type of progenitor cell to the other and finally transmitted to neurons. Furthermore, key cell types, such as basal progenitors and neurons, exhibit a highly flexible polarity. We suggest that both inheritance and flexibility of cell polarity are implicated in the amplification of basal progenitors and tangential dispersion of neurons, which are key features of the evolutionary expansion of the neocortex. Summary: We suggest that the inheritance and flexibility of cell polarity are implicated in the evolutionary expansion of the developing neocortex by promoting the amplification of neural progenitors and tangential migration of neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Takashi Namba
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE - Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
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10
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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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11
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Pinson A, Huttner WB. Neocortex expansion in development and evolution-from genes to progenitor cell biology. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2021; 73:9-18. [PMID: 34098196 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2021.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The evolutionary expansion of the neocortex, the seat of higher cognitive functions in humans, is primarily due to an increased and prolonged proliferation of neural progenitor cells during development. Basal progenitors, and in particular basal radial glial cells, are thought to have a key role in the increased generation of neurons that constitutes a foundation of neocortex expansion. Recent studies have identified primate-specific and human-specific genes and changes in gene expression that promote increased proliferative capacity of cortical progenitors. In many cases, the cell biological basis underlying this increase has been uncovered. Model systems such as mouse, ferret, nonhuman primates, and cerebral organoids have been used to establish the relevance of these genes for neocortex expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anneline Pinson
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Wieland B Huttner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
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12
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Gilardi C, Kalebic N. The Ferret as a Model System for Neocortex Development and Evolution. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:661759. [PMID: 33996819 PMCID: PMC8118648 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.661759] [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: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The neocortex is the largest part of the cerebral cortex and a key structure involved in human behavior and cognition. Comparison of neocortex development across mammals reveals that the proliferative capacity of neural stem and progenitor cells and the length of the neurogenic period are essential for regulating neocortex size and complexity, which in turn are thought to be instrumental for the increased cognitive abilities in humans. The domesticated ferret, Mustela putorius furo, is an important animal model in neurodevelopment for its complex postnatal cortical folding, its long period of forebrain development and its accessibility to genetic manipulation in vivo. Here, we discuss the molecular, cellular, and histological features that make this small gyrencephalic carnivore a suitable animal model to study the physiological and pathological mechanisms for the development of an expanded neocortex. We particularly focus on the mechanisms of neural stem cell proliferation, neuronal differentiation, cortical folding, visual system development, and neurodevelopmental pathologies. We further discuss the technological advances that have enabled the genetic manipulation of the ferret in vivo. Finally, we compare the features of neocortex development in the ferret with those of other model organisms.
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13
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Mora-Bermúdez F, Taverna E, Huttner WB. From stem and progenitor cells to neurons in the developing neocortex: key differences among hominids. FEBS J 2021; 289:1524-1535. [PMID: 33638923 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Comparing the biology of humans to that of other primates, and notably other hominids, is a useful path to learn more about what makes us human. Some of the most interesting differences among hominids are closely related to brain development and function, for example behaviour and cognition. This makes it particularly interesting to compare the hominid neural cells of the neocortex, a part of the brain that plays central roles in those processes. However, well-preserved tissue from great apes is usually extremely difficult to obtain. A variety of new alternative tools, for example brain organoids, are now beginning to make it possible to search for such differences and analyse their potential biological and biomedical meaning. Here, we present an overview of recent findings from comparisons of the neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPCs) and neurons of hominids. In addition to differences in proliferation and differentiation of NSPCs, and maturation of neurons, we highlight that the regulation of the timing of these processes is emerging as a general foundational difference in the development of the neocortex of hominids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Mora-Bermúdez
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Elena Taverna
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Wieland B Huttner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
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14
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Abstract
The mammalian cerebral cortex is the pinnacle of brain evolution, reaching its maximum complexity in terms of neuron number, diversity and functional circuitry. The emergence of this outstanding complexity begins during embryonic development, when a limited number of neural stem and progenitor cells manage to generate myriads of neurons in the appropriate numbers, types and proportions, in a process called neurogenesis. Here we review the current knowledge on the regulation of cortical neurogenesis, beginning with a description of the types of progenitor cells and their lineage relationships. This is followed by a review of the determinants of neuron fate, the molecular and genetic regulatory mechanisms, and considerations on the evolution of cortical neurogenesis in vertebrates leading to humans. We finish with an overview on how dysregulation of neurogenesis is a leading cause of human brain malformations and functional disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Villalba
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas & Universidad Miguel Hernández, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Magdalena Götz
- Institute for Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München & Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians Universitaet, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Víctor Borrell
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas & Universidad Miguel Hernández, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain.
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15
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Amin S, Borrell V. The Extracellular Matrix in the Evolution of Cortical Development and Folding. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:604448. [PMID: 33344456 PMCID: PMC7744631 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.604448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolution of the mammalian cerebral cortex leading to humans involved a remarkable sophistication of developmental mechanisms. Specific adaptations of progenitor cell proliferation and neuronal migration mechanisms have been proposed to play major roles in this evolution of neocortical development. One of the central elements influencing neocortex development is the extracellular matrix (ECM). The ECM provides both a structural framework during tissue formation and to present signaling molecules to cells, which directly influences cell behavior and movement. Here we review recent advances in the understanding of the role of ECM molecules on progenitor cell proliferation and neuronal migration, and how these contribute to cerebral cortex expansion and folding. We discuss how transcriptomic studies in human, ferret and mouse identify components of ECM as being candidate key players in cortex expansion during development and evolution. Then we focus on recent functional studies showing that ECM components regulate cortical progenitor cell proliferation, neuron migration and the mechanical properties of the developing cortex. Finally, we discuss how these features differ between lissencephalic and gyrencephalic species, and how the molecular evolution of ECM components and their expression profiles may have been fundamental in the emergence and evolution of cortex folding across mammalian phylogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Víctor Borrell
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Miguel Hernández, Sant Joan d’Alacant, Spain
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16
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Llorca A, Marín O. Orchestrated freedom: new insights into cortical neurogenesis. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2020; 66:48-56. [PMID: 33096393 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, the construction of the cerebral cortex involves the coordinated output of large populations of apical progenitor cells. Cortical progenitor cells use intrinsic molecular programs and complex regulatory mechanisms to generate a large diversity of excitatory projection neurons in appropriate numbers. In this review, we summarize recent findings regarding the neurogenic behavior of cortical progenitors during neurogenesis. We describe alternative models explaining the generation of neuronal diversity among excitatory projection neurons and the role of intrinsic and extrinsic signals in the modulation of the individual output of apical progenitor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Llorca
- 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
| | - Oscar Marín
- 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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17
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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: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [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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18
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Cárdenas A, Borrell V. Molecular and cellular evolution of corticogenesis in amniotes. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:1435-1460. [PMID: 31563997 PMCID: PMC11104948 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03315-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex varies dramatically in size and complexity between amniotes due to differences in neuron number and composition. These differences emerge during embryonic development as a result of variations in neurogenesis, which are thought to recapitulate modifications occurred during evolution that culminated in the human neocortex. Here, we review work from the last few decades leading to our current understanding of the evolution of neurogenesis and size of the cerebral cortex. Focused on specific examples across vertebrate and amniote phylogeny, we discuss developmental mechanisms regulating the emergence, lineage, complexification and fate of cortical germinal layers and progenitor cell types. At the cellular level, we discuss the fundamental impact of basal progenitor cells and the advent of indirect neurogenesis on the increased number and diversity of cortical neurons and layers in mammals, and on cortex folding. Finally, we discuss recent work that unveils genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying this progressive expansion and increased complexity of the amniote cerebral cortex during evolution, with a particular focus on those leading to human-specific features. Whereas new genes important in human brain development emerged the recent hominid lineage, regulation of the patterns and levels of activity of highly conserved signaling pathways are beginning to emerge as mechanisms of central importance in the evolutionary increase in cortical size and complexity across amniotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Cárdenas
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas y Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03550, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Alicante, Spain
| | - Víctor Borrell
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas y Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03550, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Alicante, Spain.
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19
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Khakipoor S, Crouch EE, Mayer S. Human organoids to model the developing human neocortex in health and disease. Brain Res 2020; 1742:146803. [PMID: 32240655 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Rodent models have catalyzed major discoveries in the neocortex, a brain region unique to mammals. However, since the neocortex has expanded considerably in primates, employing rodent models has limitations. Human fetal brain tissue is a scarce resource with limitations for experimental manipulations. In order to create an experimentally tractable representation of human brain development, a number of labs have recently created in vitro models of the developing human brain. These models, generated using human embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells, are called "organoids". Organoids have successfully and rapidly uncovered new mechanisms of human brain development in health and disease. In the future, we envision that this strategy will enable faster and more efficient translation of basic neuroscience findings to therapeutic applications. In this review, we discuss the generation of the first human cerebral organoids, progress since their debut, and challenges to be overcome in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shokoufeh Khakipoor
- Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Elizabeth E Crouch
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Simone Mayer
- Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
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20
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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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21
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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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22
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Kalebic N, Gilardi C, Stepien B, Wilsch-Bräuninger M, Long KR, Namba T, Florio M, Langen B, Lombardot B, Shevchenko A, Kilimann MW, Kawasaki H, Wimberger P, Huttner WB. Neocortical Expansion Due to Increased Proliferation of Basal Progenitors Is Linked to Changes in Their Morphology. Cell Stem Cell 2019; 24:535-550.e9. [PMID: 30905618 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2019.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The evolutionary expansion of the mammalian neocortex (Ncx) is thought to be linked to increased proliferative capacity of basal progenitors (BPs) and their neurogenic capacity. Here, by quantifying BP morphology in the developing Ncx of mouse, ferret, and human, we show that increased BP proliferative capacity is linked to an increase in BP process number. We identify human membrane-bound PALMDELPHIN (PALMD-Caax) as an underlying factor, and we show that it drives BP process growth and proliferation when expressed in developing mouse and ferret Ncx. Conversely, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated disruption of PALMD or its binding partner ADDUCIN-γ in fetal human Ncx reduces BP process numbers and proliferation. We further show that PALMD-induced processes enable BPs to receive pro-proliferative integrin-dependent signals. These findings provide a link between BP morphology and proliferation, suggesting that changes in BP morphology may have contributed to the evolutionary expansion of the Ncx.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nereo Kalebic
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Carlotta Gilardi
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Barbara Stepien
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Katherine R Long
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Takashi Namba
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Marta Florio
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Barbara Langen
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Benoit Lombardot
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Anna Shevchenko
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Hiroshi Kawasaki
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Pauline Wimberger
- Technische Universität Dresden, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Klinik und Poliklinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe, Dresden, Germany
| | - Wieland B Huttner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
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23
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Multimodal Single-Cell Analysis Reveals Physiological Maturation in the Developing Human Neocortex. Neuron 2019; 102:143-158.e7. [PMID: 30770253 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In the developing human neocortex, progenitor cells generate diverse cell types prenatally. Progenitor cells and newborn neurons respond to signaling cues, including neurotransmitters. While single-cell RNA sequencing has revealed cellular diversity, physiological heterogeneity has yet to be mapped onto these developing and diverse cell types. By combining measurements of intracellular Ca2+ elevations in response to neurotransmitter receptor agonists and RNA sequencing of the same single cells, we show that Ca2+ responses are cell-type-specific and change dynamically with lineage progression. Physiological response properties predict molecular cell identity and additionally reveal diversity not captured by single-cell transcriptomics. We find that the serotonin receptor HTR2A selectively activates radial glia cells in the developing human, but not mouse, neocortex, and inhibiting HTR2A receptors in human radial glia disrupts the radial glial scaffold. We show highly specific neurotransmitter signaling during neurogenesis in the developing human neocortex and highlight evolutionarily divergent mechanisms of physiological signaling.
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24
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Matsumoto N, Kobayashi N, Uda N, Hirota M, Kawasaki H. Pathophysiological analyses of leptomeningeal heterotopia using gyrencephalic mammals. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 27:985-991. [PMID: 29325060 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptomeningeal glioneuronal heterotopia (LGH) is a focal malformation of the cerebral cortex and frequently found in patients with thanatophoric dysplasia (TD). The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying LGH formation are still largely unclear because of difficulties in obtaining brain samples from human TD patients. Recently, we established a new animal model for analysing cortical malformations of human TD by utilizing our genetic manipulation technique for gyrencephalic carnivore ferrets. Here we investigated the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the formation of LGH using our TD ferrets. We found that LGH was formed during corticogenesis in TD ferrets. Interestingly, we rarely found Ki-67-positive and phospho-histone H3-positive cells in LGH, suggesting that LGH formation does not involve cell proliferation. We uncovered that vimentin-positive radial glial fibers and doublecortin-positive migrating neurons were accumulated in LGH. This result may indicate that preferential cell migration into LGH underlies LGH formation. Our findings provide novel mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of LGH in TD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoyuki Matsumoto
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Naoki Kobayashi
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan.,Medical Research Training Program, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Natsu Uda
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan.,Medical Research Training Program, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Miwako Hirota
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan.,Medical Research Training Program, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kawasaki
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
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25
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Saito K, Mizuguchi K, Horiike T, Dinh Duong TA, Shinmyo Y, Kawasaki H. Characterization of the Inner and Outer Fiber Layers in the Developing Cerebral Cortex of Gyrencephalic Ferrets. Cereb Cortex 2018; 29:4303-4311. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Changes in the cerebral cortex of mammals during evolution have been of great interest. Ferrets, monkeys, and humans have more developed cerebral cortices compared with mice. Although the features of progenitors in the developing cortices of these animals have been intensively investigated, those of the fiber layers are still largely elusive. By taking the advantage of our in utero electroporation technique for ferrets, here we systematically investigated the cellular origins and projection patterns of axonal fibers in the developing ferret cortex. We found that ferrets have 2 fiber layers in the developing cerebral cortex, as is the case in monkeys and humans. Axonal fibers in the inner fiber layer projected contralaterally and subcortically, whereas those in the outer fiber layer sent axons to neighboring cortical areas. Furthermore, we performed similar experiments using mice and found unexpected similarities between ferrets and mice. Our results shed light on the cellular origins, the projection patterns, the developmental processes, and the evolution of fiber layers in mammalian brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kengo Saito
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Keishi Mizuguchi
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Toshihide Horiike
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Tung Anh Dinh Duong
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Yohei Shinmyo
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kawasaki
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
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26
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Barbas H, Wang J, Joyce MKP, García-Cabezas MÁ. Pathway mechanism for excitatory and inhibitory control in working memory. J Neurophysiol 2018; 120:2659-2678. [PMID: 30256740 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00936.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans engage in many daily activities that rely on working memory, the ability to hold and sequence information temporarily to accomplish a task. We focus on the process of working memory, based on circuit mechanisms for attending to relevant signals and suppressing irrelevant stimuli. We discuss that connections critically depend on the systematic variation in laminar structure across all cortical systems. Laminar structure is used to group areas into types regardless of their placement in the cortex, ranging from low-type agranular areas that lack layer IV to high-type areas that have six well-delineated layers. Connections vary in laminar distribution and strength based on the difference in type between linked areas, according to the "structural model" (Barbas H, Rempel-Clower N. Cereb Cortex 7: 635-646, 1997). The many possible pathways thus vary systematically by laminar distribution and strength, and they interface with excitatory neurons to select relevant stimuli and with functionally distinct inhibitory neurons that suppress activity at the site of termination. Using prefrontal pathways, we discuss how systematic architectonic variation gives rise to diverse pathways that can be recruited, along with amygdalar and hippocampal pathways that provide sensory, affective, and contextual information. The prefrontal cortex is also connected with thalamic nuclei that receive the output of the basal ganglia and cerebellum, which may facilitate fast sequencing of information. The complement of connections and their interface with distinct inhibitory neurons allows dynamic recruitment of areas and shifts in cortical rhythms to meet rapidly changing demands of sequential components of working memory tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Barbas
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Health Sciences, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jingyi Wang
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Health Sciences, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mary Kate P Joyce
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Miguel Ángel García-Cabezas
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Health Sciences, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts
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27
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Uzquiano A, Gladwyn-Ng I, Nguyen L, Reiner O, Götz M, Matsuzaki F, Francis F. Cortical progenitor biology: key features mediating proliferation versus differentiation. J Neurochem 2018; 146:500-525. [PMID: 29570795 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2017] [Revised: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex is a highly organized structure whose development depends on diverse progenitor cell types, namely apical radial glia, intermediate progenitors, and basal radial glia cells, which are responsible for the production of the correct neuronal output. In recent years, these progenitor cell types have been deeply studied, particularly basal radial glia and their role in cortical expansion and gyrification. We review here a broad series of factors that regulate progenitor behavior and daughter cell fate. We first describe the different neuronal progenitor types, emphasizing the differences between lissencephalic and gyrencephalic species. We then review key factors shown to influence progenitor proliferation versus differentiation, discussing their roles in progenitor dynamics, neuronal production, and potentially brain size and complexity. Although spindle orientation has been considered a critical factor for mode of division and daughter cell output, we discuss other features that are emerging as crucial for these processes such as organelle and cell cycle dynamics. Additionally, we highlight the importance of adhesion molecules and the polarity complex for correct cortical development. Finally, we briefly discuss studies assessing progenitor multipotency and its possible contribution to the production of specific neuronal populations. This review hence summarizes recent aspects of cortical progenitor cell biology, and pinpoints emerging features critical for their behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Uzquiano
- INSERM, UMR-S 839, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Université, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France.,Institut du Fer à Moulin, Paris, France
| | - Ivan Gladwyn-Ng
- GIGA-Neurosciences, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA-R), University of Liège, C.H.U. Sart Tilman, Liège, Belgium
| | - Laurent Nguyen
- GIGA-Neurosciences, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA-R), University of Liège, C.H.U. Sart Tilman, Liège, Belgium
| | - Orly Reiner
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Magdalena Götz
- Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Planegg/Munich, Germany.,Institute for Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.,SYNERGY, Excellence Cluster of Systems Neurology, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich, Planegg/Munich, Germany
| | - Fumio Matsuzaki
- Laboratory for Cell Asymmetry, Center for Developmental Biology, RIKEN Kobe Institute, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Fiona Francis
- INSERM, UMR-S 839, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Université, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France.,Institut du Fer à Moulin, Paris, France
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28
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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: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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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