Molecules and mechanisms that regulate multipolar migration in the intermediate zone

Most neurons migrate with an elongated, “bipolar” morphology, extending a long leading process that explores the environment. However, when immature projection neurons enter the intermediate zone (IZ) of the neocortex they become “multipolar”. Multipolar cells extend and retract cytoplasmic processes in different directions and move erratically—sideways, up and down. Multipolar cells extend axons while they are in the lower half of the IZ. Remarkably, the cells then resume radial migration: they reorient their centrosome and Golgi apparatus towards the pia, transform back to bipolar morphology, and commence locomotion along radial glia (RG) fibers. This reorientation implies the existence of directional signals in the IZ that are ignored during the multipolar stage but sensed after axonogenesis. In vivo genetic manipulation has implicated a variety of candidate directional signals, cell surface receptors, and signaling pathways, that may be involved in polarizing multipolar cells and stabilizing a pia-directed leading process for radial migration. Other signals are implicated in starting multipolar migration and triggering axon outgrowth. Here we review the molecules and mechanisms that regulate multipolar migration, and also discuss how multipolar migration affects the orderly arrangement of neurons in layers and columns in the developing neocortex.

Sip1 regulates sequential fate decisions by feedback signaling from postmitotic neurons to progenitors

The fate of cortical progenitors, which progressively generate neurons and glial cells during development, is determined by temporally and spatially regulated signaling mechanisms. We found that the transcription factor Sip1 (Zfhx1b), which is produced at high levels in postmitotic neocortical neurons, regulates progenitor fate non-cell autonomously. Conditional deletion of Sip1 in young neurons induced premature production of upper-layer neurons at the expense of deep layers, precocious and increased generation of glial precursors, and enhanced postnatal astrocytogenesis. The premature upper-layer generation coincided with overexpression of the neurotrophin-3 (Ntf3) gene and upregulation of fibroblast growth factor 9 (Fgf9) gene expression preceded precocious gliogenesis. Exogenous application of Fgf9 to mouse cortical slices induced excessive generation of glial precursors in the germinal zone. Our data suggest that Sip1 restrains the production of signaling factors in postmitotic neurons that feed back to progenitors to regulate the timing of cell fate switch and the number of neurons and glial cells throughout corticogenesis.