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Thor S. Indirect neurogenesis in space and time. Nat Rev Neurosci 2024; 25:519-534. [PMID: 38951687 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-024-00833-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
During central nervous system (CNS) development, neural progenitor cells (NPCs) generate neurons and glia in two different ways. In direct neurogenesis, daughter cells differentiate directly into neurons or glia, whereas in indirect neurogenesis, neurons or glia are generated after one or more daughter cell divisions. Intriguingly, indirect neurogenesis is not stochastically deployed and plays instructive roles during CNS development: increased generation of cells from specific lineages; increased generation of early or late-born cell types within a lineage; and increased cell diversification. Increased indirect neurogenesis might contribute to the anterior CNS expansion evident throughout the Bilateria and help to modify brain-region size without requiring increased NPC numbers or extended neurogenesis. Increased indirect neurogenesis could be an evolutionary driver of the gyrencephalic (that is, folded) cortex that emerged during mammalian evolution and might even have increased during hominid evolution. Thus, selection of indirect versus direct neurogenesis provides a powerful developmental and evolutionary instrument that drives not only the evolution of CNS complexity but also brain expansion and modulation of brain-region size, and thereby the evolution of increasingly advanced cognitive abilities. This Review describes indirect neurogenesis in several model species and humans, and highlights some of the molecular genetic mechanisms that control this important process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Thor
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
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2
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Yang Z. The Principle of Cortical Development and Evolution. Neurosci Bull 2024:10.1007/s12264-024-01259-2. [PMID: 39023844 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-024-01259-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Human's robust cognitive abilities, including creativity and language, are made possible, at least in large part, by evolutionary changes made to the cerebral cortex. This paper reviews the biology and evolution of mammalian cortical radial glial cells (primary neural stem cells) and introduces the concept that a genetically step wise process, based on a core molecular pathway already in use, is the evolutionary process that has molded cortical neurogenesis. The core mechanism, which has been identified in our recent studies, is the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-bone morphogenic protein 7 (BMP7)-GLI3 repressor form (GLI3R)-sonic hedgehog (SHH) positive feedback loop. Additionally, I propose that the molecular basis for cortical evolutionary dwarfism, exemplified by the lissencephalic mouse which originated from a larger gyrencephalic ancestor, is an increase in SHH signaling in radial glia, that antagonizes ERK-BMP7 signaling. Finally, I propose that: (1) SHH signaling is not a key regulator of primate cortical expansion and folding; (2) human cortical radial glial cells do not generate neocortical interneurons; (3) human-specific genes may not be essential for most cortical expansion. I hope this review assists colleagues in the field, guiding research to address gaps in our understanding of cortical development and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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3
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Schmidt AR, Jaime VS, Inserra PIF, Proietto S, Corso MC, Burd IA, Leopardo NP, Halperin J, Vitullo AD, Dorfman VB. Corticogenesis and folding process of the neopallium in the South American plains vizcacha, Lagostomus maximus. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25631. [PMID: 38813760 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25631] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
The plains vizcacha, Lagostomus maximus, is a precocial hystricomorph rodent with a gyrencephalic brain. This work aimed to perform a time-lapse analysis of the embryonic brain cortical development in the plains vizcacha to establish a species-specific temporal window for corticogenesis and the gyrencephaly onset. Additionally, a comparative examination with evolutionarily related rodents was conducted. Embryos from 40 embryonic days (ED) until the end of pregnancy ( ∼ $\sim $ 154 ED) were evaluated. The neuroanatomical examination determined transverse sulci at 80 ED and rostral lateral and caudal intraparietal sulci around 95 ED. Histological examination of corticogenesis showed emergence of the subplate at 43 ED and expansion of the subventricular zone (SVZ) and its division into inner and outer SVZs around 54 ED. The neocortical layers formation followed an inside-to-outside spatiotemporal gradient beginning with the emergence of layers VI and V at 68 ED and establishing the final six neocortical layers around 100 ED. A progressive increment of gyrencephalization index (GI) from 1.005 ± 0.003 around 70 ED, which reflects a smooth cortex, up to 1.07 ± 0.009 at the end of gestation, reflecting a gyrencephalic neuroanatomy, was determined. Contrarily, the minimum cortical thickness (MCT) progressively decreased from 61 ED up to the end of gestation. These results show that the decrease in the cortical thickness, which enables the onset of neocortical invaginations, occurs together with the expansion and subdivision of the SVZ. The temporal comparison of corticogenesis in plains vizcacha with that in relative species reflects a prenatal long process compared with other rodents that may give an evolutionary advantage to L. maximus as a precocial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Raúl Schmidt
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Vanina Soledad Jaime
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pablo Ignacio Felipe Inserra
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sofía Proietto
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Clara Corso
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ileana Abigail Burd
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Noelia Paola Leopardo
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Julia Halperin
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alfredo Daniel Vitullo
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Verónica Berta Dorfman
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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4
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Stepien BK, Wielockx B. From Vessels to Neurons-The Role of Hypoxia Pathway Proteins in Embryonic Neurogenesis. Cells 2024; 13:621. [PMID: 38607059 PMCID: PMC11012138 DOI: 10.3390/cells13070621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Embryonic neurogenesis can be defined as a period of prenatal development during which divisions of neural stem and progenitor cells give rise to neurons. In the central nervous system of most mammals, including humans, the majority of neocortical neurogenesis occurs before birth. It is a highly spatiotemporally organized process whose perturbations lead to cortical malformations and dysfunctions underlying neurological and psychiatric pathologies, and in which oxygen availability plays a critical role. In case of deprived oxygen conditions, known as hypoxia, the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) signaling pathway is activated, resulting in the selective expression of a group of genes that regulate homeostatic adaptations, including cell differentiation and survival, metabolism and angiogenesis. While a physiological degree of hypoxia is essential for proper brain development, imbalanced oxygen levels can adversely affect this process, as observed in common obstetrical pathologies such as prematurity. This review comprehensively explores and discusses the current body of knowledge regarding the role of hypoxia and the HIF pathway in embryonic neurogenesis of the mammalian cortex. Additionally, it highlights existing gaps in our understanding, presents unanswered questions, and provides avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara K. Stepien
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Ben Wielockx
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Experimental Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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5
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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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6
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Willbrand EH, Jackson S, Chen S, Hathaway CB, Voorhies WI, Bunge SA, Weiner KS. Sulcal variability in anterior lateral prefrontal cortex contributes to variability in reasoning performance among young adults. Brain Struct Funct 2024; 229:387-402. [PMID: 38184493 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02734-8] [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: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Identifying structure-function correspondences is a major goal among biologists, cognitive neuroscientists, and brain mappers. Recent studies have identified relationships between performance on cognitive tasks and the presence or absence of small, shallow indentations, or sulci, of the human brain. Building on the previous finding that the presence of the ventral para-intermediate frontal sulcus (pimfs-v) in the left anterior lateral prefrontal cortex (aLPFC) was related to reasoning task performance in children and adolescents, we tested whether this relationship extended to a different sample, age group, and reasoning task. As predicted, the presence of this aLPFC sulcus was also associated with higher reasoning scores in young adults (ages 22-36). These findings have not only direct developmental, but also evolutionary relevance-as recent work shows that the pimfs-v is exceedingly rare in chimpanzees. Thus, the pimfs-v is a key developmental, cognitive, and evolutionarily relevant feature that should be considered in future studies examining how the complex relationships among multiscale anatomical and functional features of the brain give rise to abstract thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan H Willbrand
- Medical Scientist Training Program, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of WI-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Samantha Jackson
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Szeshuen Chen
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | - Willa I Voorhies
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Silvia A Bunge
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Kevin S Weiner
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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7
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Huttner WB, Heide M, Mora-Bermúdez F, Namba T. Neocortical neurogenesis in development and evolution-Human-specific features. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25576. [PMID: 38189676 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25576] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
In this review, we focus on human-specific features of neocortical neurogenesis in development and evolution. Two distinct topics will be addressed. In the first section, we discuss the expansion of the neocortex during human evolution and concentrate on the human-specific gene ARHGAP11B. We review the ability of ARHGAP11B to amplify basal progenitors and to expand a primate neocortex. We discuss the contribution of ARHGAP11B to neocortex expansion during human evolution and its potential implications for neurodevelopmental disorders and brain tumors. We then review the action of ARHGAP11B in mitochondria as a regulator of basal progenitor metabolism, and how it promotes glutaminolysis and basal progenitor proliferation. Finally, we discuss the increase in cognitive performance due to the ARHGAP11B-induced neocortical expansion. In the second section, we focus on neocortical development in modern humans versus Neanderthals. Specifically, we discuss two recent findings pointing to differences in neocortical neurogenesis between these two hominins that are due to a small number of amino acid substitutions in certain key proteins. One set of such proteins are the kinetochore-associated proteins KIF18a and KNL1, where three modern human-specific amino acid substitutions underlie the prolongation of metaphase during apical progenitor mitosis. This prolongation in turn is associated with an increased fidelity of chromosome segregation to the apical progenitor progeny during modern human neocortical development, with implications for the proper formation of radial units. Another such key protein is transketolase-like 1 (TKTL1), where a single modern human-specific amino acid substitution endows TKTL1 with the ability to amplify basal radial glia, resulting in an increase in upper-layer neuron generation. TKTL1's ability is based on its action in the pentose phosphate pathway, resulting in increased fatty acid synthesis. The data imply greater neurogenesis during neocortical development in modern humans than Neanderthals due to TKTL1, in particular in the developing frontal lobe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wieland B Huttner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael Heide
- German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Takashi Namba
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE - Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Sacco JC, Starr E, Weaver A, Dietz R, Spocter MA. Resequencing of the TMF-1 (TATA Element Modulatory Factor) regulated protein (TRNP1) gene in domestic and wild canids. Canine Med Genet 2023; 10:10. [PMID: 37968761 PMCID: PMC10647097 DOI: 10.1186/s40575-023-00133-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cortical folding is related to the functional organization of the brain. The TMF-1 regulated protein (TRNP1) regulates the expansion and folding of the mammalian cerebral cortex, a process that may have been accelerated by the domestication of dogs. The objectives of this study were to sequence the TRNP1 gene in dogs and related canid species, provide evidence of its expression in dog brain and compare the genetic variation within dogs and across the Canidae. The gene was located in silico to dog chromosome 2. The sequence was experimentally confirmed by amplifying and sequencing the TRNP1 exonic and promoter regions in 72 canids (36 purebred dogs, 20 Gy wolves and wolf-dog hybrids, 10 coyotes, 5 red foxes and 1 Gy fox). RESULTS A partial TRNP1 transcript was isolated from several regions in the dog brain. Thirty genetic polymorphisms were found in the Canis sp. with 17 common to both dogs and wolves, and only one unique to dogs. Seven polymorphisms were observed only in coyotes. An additional 9 variants were seen in red foxes. Dogs were the least genetically diverse. Several polymorphisms in the promoter and 3'untranslated region were predicted to alter TRNP1 function by interfering with the binding of transcriptional repressors and miRNAs expressed in neural precursors. A c.259_264 deletion variant that encodes a polyalanine expansion was polymorphic in all species studied except for dogs. A stretch of 15 nucleotides that is found in other mammalian sequences (corresponding to 5 amino acids located between Pro58 and Ala59 in the putative dog protein) was absent from the TRNP1 sequences of all 5 canid species sequenced. Both of these aforementioned coding sequence variations were predicted to affect the formation of alpha helices in the disordered region of the TRNP1 protein. CONCLUSIONS Potentially functionally important polymorphisms in the TRNP1 gene are found within and across various Canis species as well as the red fox, and unique differences in protein structure have evolved and been conserved in the Canidae compared to all other mammalian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- James C Sacco
- Ellis Pharmacogenomics Laboratory, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Drake University, 50311, Des Moines, IA, USA.
| | - Emma Starr
- Ellis Pharmacogenomics Laboratory, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Drake University, 50311, Des Moines, IA, USA
| | - Alyssa Weaver
- Ellis Pharmacogenomics Laboratory, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Drake University, 50311, Des Moines, IA, USA
| | - Rachel Dietz
- Ellis Pharmacogenomics Laboratory, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Drake University, 50311, Des Moines, IA, USA
| | - Muhammad A Spocter
- Department of Anatomy, Des Moines University, 50266, Des Moines, IA, USA
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Matrongolo MJ, Ho-Nguyen KT, Jain M, Ang PS, Reddy A, Schaper S, Tischfield MA. Loss of Twist1 and balanced retinoic acid signaling from the meninges causes cortical folding in mice. Development 2023; 150:dev201381. [PMID: 37590085 PMCID: PMC11296311 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Secondary lissencephaly evolved in mice due to effects on neurogenesis and the tangential distribution of neurons. Signaling pathways that help maintain lissencephaly are still poorly understood. We show that inactivating Twist1 in the primitive meninges causes cortical folding in mice. Cell proliferation in the meninges is reduced, causing loss of arachnoid fibroblasts that express Raldh2, an enzyme required for retinoic acid synthesis. Regionalized loss of Raldh2 in the dorsolateral meninges is first detected when folding begins. The ventricular zone expands and the forebrain lengthens at this time due to expansion of apical radial glia. As the cortex expands, regionalized differences in the levels of neurogenesis are coupled with changes to the tangential distribution of neurons. Consequentially, cortical growth at and adjacent to the midline accelerates with respect to more dorsolateral regions, resulting in cortical buckling and folding. Maternal retinoic acid supplementation suppresses cortical folding by normalizing forebrain length, neurogenesis and the tangential distribution of neurons. These results suggest that Twist1 and balanced retinoic acid signaling from the meninges are required to maintain normal levels of neurogenesis and lissencephaly in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt J. Matrongolo
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Khue-Tu Ho-Nguyen
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Manav Jain
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Phillip S. Ang
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Akash Reddy
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Samantha Schaper
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Max A. Tischfield
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
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Moffat A, Schuurmans C. The Control of Cortical Folding: Multiple Mechanisms, Multiple Models. Neuroscientist 2023:10738584231190839. [PMID: 37621149 DOI: 10.1177/10738584231190839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex develops through a carefully conscripted series of cellular and molecular events that culminate in the production of highly specialized neuronal and glial cells. During development, cortical neurons and glia acquire a precise cellular arrangement and architecture to support higher-order cognitive functioning. Decades of study using rodent models, naturally gyrencephalic animal models, human pathology specimens, and, recently, human cerebral organoids, reveal that rodents recapitulate some but not all the cellular and molecular features of human cortices. Whereas rodent cortices are smooth-surfaced or lissencephalic, larger mammals, including humans and nonhuman primates, have highly folded/gyrencephalic cortices that accommodate an expansion in neuronal mass and increase in surface area. Several genes have evolved to drive cortical gyrification, arising from gene duplications or de novo origins, or by alterations to the structure/function of ancestral genes or their gene regulatory regions. Primary cortical folds arise in stereotypical locations, prefigured by a molecular "blueprint" that is set up by several signaling pathways (e.g., Notch, Fgf, Wnt, PI3K, Shh) and influenced by the extracellular matrix. Mutations that affect neural progenitor cell proliferation and/or neurogenesis, predominantly of upper-layer neurons, perturb cortical gyrification. Below we review the molecular drivers of cortical folding and their roles in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Moffat
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Biological Sciences Platform, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Carol Schuurmans
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Biological Sciences Platform, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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11
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Fernández V, Borrell V. Developmental mechanisms of gyrification. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 80:102711. [DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
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12
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Kliesmete Z, Wange LE, Vieth B, Esgleas M, Radmer J, Hülsmann M, Geuder J, Richter D, Ohnuki M, Götz M, Hellmann I, Enard W. Regulatory and coding sequences of TRNP1 co-evolve with brain size and cortical folding in mammals. eLife 2023; 12:83593. [PMID: 36947129 PMCID: PMC10032658 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain size and cortical folding have increased and decreased recurrently during mammalian evolution. Identifying genetic elements whose sequence or functional properties co-evolve with these traits can provide unique information on evolutionary and developmental mechanisms. A good candidate for such a comparative approach is TRNP1, as it controls proliferation of neural progenitors in mice and ferrets. Here, we investigate the contribution of both regulatory and coding sequences of TRNP1 to brain size and cortical folding in over 30 mammals. We find that the rate of TRNP1 protein evolution (ω) significantly correlates with brain size, slightly less with cortical folding and much less with body size. This brain correlation is stronger than for >95% of random control proteins. This co-evolution is likely affecting TRNP1 activity, as we find that TRNP1 from species with larger brains and more cortical folding induce higher proliferation rates in neural stem cells. Furthermore, we compare the activity of putative cis-regulatory elements (CREs) of TRNP1 in a massively parallel reporter assay and identify one CRE that likely co-evolves with cortical folding in Old World monkeys and apes. Our analyses indicate that coding and regulatory changes that increased TRNP1 activity were positively selected either as a cause or a consequence of increases in brain size and cortical folding. They also provide an example how phylogenetic approaches can inform biological mechanisms, especially when combined with molecular phenotypes across several species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zane Kliesmete
- Anthropology and Human Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Lucas Esteban Wange
- Anthropology and Human Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Beate Vieth
- Anthropology and Human Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Miriam Esgleas
- Physiological Genomics, BioMedical Center - BMC, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
- Institute for Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Germany Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Jessica Radmer
- Anthropology and Human Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Hülsmann
- Anthropology and Human Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Eawag, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Johanna Geuder
- Anthropology and Human Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Richter
- Anthropology and Human Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Mari Ohnuki
- Anthropology and Human Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Magdelena Götz
- Physiological Genomics, BioMedical Center - BMC, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
- Institute for Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Germany Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany
- SYNERGY, Excellence Cluster of Systems Neurology, BioMedical Center (BMC), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Ines Hellmann
- Anthropology and Human Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Enard
- Anthropology and Human Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
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13
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Abstract
The current understanding of neurological diseases is derived mostly from direct analysis of patients and from animal models of disease. However, most patient studies do not capture the earliest stages of disease development and offer limited opportunities for experimental intervention, so rarely yield complete mechanistic insights. The use of animal models relies on evolutionary conservation of pathways involved in disease and is limited by an inability to recreate human-specific processes. In vitro models that are derived from human pluripotent stem cells cultured in 3D have emerged as a new model system that could bridge the gap between patient studies and animal models. In this Review, we summarize how such organoid models can complement classical approaches to accelerate neurological research. We describe our current understanding of neurodevelopment and how this process differs between humans and other animals, making human-derived models of disease essential. We discuss different methodologies for producing organoids and how organoids can be and have been used to model neurological disorders, including microcephaly, Zika virus infection, Alzheimer disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, and neurodevelopmental diseases, such as Timothy syndrome, Angelman syndrome and tuberous sclerosis. We also discuss the current limitations of organoid models and outline how organoids can be used to revolutionize research into the human brain and neurological diseases. In this Review, Eichmüller and Knoblich discuss how human brain organoids can recapitulate the unique processes that occur in human brain development and how they can complement classical approaches to revolutionize research into neurological diseases. Development of the human brain involves unique processes that are relevant to neurological disease but cannot be studied in animal models, so alternative model systems are required. Organoids are 3D human cell culture models that originate from pluripotent stem cells and recapitulate the hallmarks of human neurodevelopment, enabling studies of human brain development in vitro. Specific mutations can be introduced into organoids to study their effects on neurodevelopment; combined with high-throughput screening methods, this approach can determine the disease relevance of mutations in human tissue. To study specific diseases, brain organoids can be generated from induced pluripotent stem cells from individual patients, thereby preserving the specific genetic background of the individual and generating an insightful model. Through recapitulation of previously inaccessible periods of human brain development, brain organoids have enabled identification of novel mechanisms that underlie neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative and infectious diseases. Combining organoids, patient research and animal models enables us to take full advantage of each of these systems and will provide unprecedented insights into neurodevelopment and neurological diseases.
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Fasano G, Compagnucci C, Dallapiccola B, Tartaglia M, Lauri A. Teleost Fish and Organoids: Alternative Windows Into the Development of Healthy and Diseased Brains. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:855786. [PMID: 36034498 PMCID: PMC9403253 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.855786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The variety in the display of animals’ cognition, emotions, and behaviors, typical of humans, has its roots within the anterior-most part of the brain: the forebrain, giving rise to the neocortex in mammals. Our understanding of cellular and molecular events instructing the development of this domain and its multiple adaptations within the vertebrate lineage has progressed in the last decade. Expanding and detailing the available knowledge on regionalization, progenitors’ behavior and functional sophistication of the forebrain derivatives is also key to generating informative models to improve our characterization of heterogeneous and mechanistically unexplored cortical malformations. Classical and emerging mammalian models are irreplaceable to accurately elucidate mechanisms of stem cells expansion and impairments of cortex development. Nevertheless, alternative systems, allowing a considerable reduction of the burden associated with animal experimentation, are gaining popularity to dissect basic strategies of neural stem cells biology and morphogenesis in health and disease and to speed up preclinical drug testing. Teleost vertebrates such as zebrafish, showing conserved core programs of forebrain development, together with patients-derived in vitro 2D and 3D models, recapitulating more accurately human neurogenesis, are now accepted within translational workflows spanning from genetic analysis to functional investigation. Here, we review the current knowledge of common and divergent mechanisms shaping the forebrain in vertebrates, and causing cortical malformations in humans. We next address the utility, benefits and limitations of whole-brain/organism-based fish models or neuronal ensembles in vitro for translational research to unravel key genes and pathological mechanisms involved in neurodevelopmental diseases.
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15
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Shinmyo Y, Hamabe-Horiike T, Saito K, Kawasaki H. Investigation of the Mechanisms Underlying the Development and Evolution of the Cerebral Cortex Using Gyrencephalic Ferrets. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:847159. [PMID: 35386196 PMCID: PMC8977464 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.847159] [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] [Received: 01/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian cerebral cortex has changed significantly during evolution. As a result of the increase in the number of neurons and glial cells in the cerebral cortex, its size has markedly expanded. Moreover, folds, called gyri and sulci, appeared on its surface, and its neuronal circuits have become much more complicated. Although these changes during evolution are considered to have been crucial for the acquisition of higher brain functions, the mechanisms underlying the development and evolution of the cerebral cortex of mammals are still unclear. This is, at least partially, because it is difficult to investigate these mechanisms using mice only. Therefore, genetic manipulation techniques for the cerebral cortex of gyrencephalic carnivore ferrets were developed recently. Furthermore, gene knockout was achieved in the ferret cerebral cortex using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. These techniques enabled molecular investigations using the ferret cerebral cortex. In this review, we will summarize recent findings regarding the mechanisms underlying the development and evolution of the mammalian cerebral cortex, mainly focusing on research using ferrets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohei Shinmyo
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Toshihide Hamabe-Horiike
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Kengo Saito
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kawasaki
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
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16
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Abstract
The brain harbors a unique ability to, figuratively speaking, shift its gears. During wakefulness, the brain is geared fully toward processing information and behaving, while homeostatic functions predominate during sleep. The blood-brain barrier establishes a stable environment that is optimal for neuronal function, yet the barrier imposes a physiological problem; transcapillary filtration that forms extracellular fluid in other organs is reduced to a minimum in brain. Consequently, the brain depends on a special fluid [the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)] that is flushed into brain along the unique perivascular spaces created by astrocytic vascular endfeet. We describe this pathway, coined the term glymphatic system, based on its dependency on astrocytic vascular endfeet and their adluminal expression of aquaporin-4 water channels facing toward CSF-filled perivascular spaces. Glymphatic clearance of potentially harmful metabolic or protein waste products, such as amyloid-β, is primarily active during sleep, when its physiological drivers, the cardiac cycle, respiration, and slow vasomotion, together efficiently propel CSF inflow along periarterial spaces. The brain's extracellular space contains an abundance of proteoglycans and hyaluronan, which provide a low-resistance hydraulic conduit that rapidly can expand and shrink during the sleep-wake cycle. We describe this unique fluid system of the brain, which meets the brain's requisites to maintain homeostasis similar to peripheral organs, considering the blood-brain-barrier and the paths for formation and egress of the CSF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Kaag Rasmussen
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Humberto Mestre
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
| | - Maiken Nedergaard
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
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17
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Chinnappa K, Cárdenas A, Prieto-Colomina A, Villalba A, Márquez-Galera Á, Soler R, Nomura Y, Llorens E, Tomasello U, López-Atalaya JP, Borrell V. Secondary loss of miR-3607 reduced cortical progenitor amplification during rodent evolution. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabj4010. [PMID: 35020425 PMCID: PMC8754304 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj4010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The evolutionary expansion and folding of the mammalian cerebral cortex resulted from amplification of progenitor cells during embryonic development. This process was reversed in the rodent lineage after splitting from primates, leading to smaller and smooth brains. Genetic mechanisms underlying this secondary loss in rodent evolution remain unknown. We show that microRNA miR-3607 is expressed embryonically in the large cortex of primates and ferret, distant from the primate-rodent lineage, but not in mouse. Experimental expression of miR-3607 in embryonic mouse cortex led to increased Wnt/β-catenin signaling, amplification of radial glia cells (RGCs), and expansion of the ventricular zone (VZ), via blocking the β-catenin inhibitor APC (adenomatous polyposis coli). Accordingly, loss of endogenous miR-3607 in ferret reduced RGC proliferation, while overexpression in human cerebral organoids promoted VZ expansion. Our results identify a gene selected for secondary loss during mammalian evolution to limit RGC amplification and, potentially, cortex size in rodents.
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18
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Tocco C, Bertacchi M, Studer M. Structural and Functional Aspects of the Neurodevelopmental Gene NR2F1: From Animal Models to Human Pathology. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 14:767965. [PMID: 34975398 PMCID: PMC8715095 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.767965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The assembly and maturation of the mammalian brain result from an intricate cascade of highly coordinated developmental events, such as cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Any impairment of this delicate multi-factorial process can lead to complex neurodevelopmental diseases, sharing common pathogenic mechanisms and molecular pathways resulting in multiple clinical signs. A recently described monogenic neurodevelopmental syndrome named Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf Optic Atrophy Syndrome (BBSOAS) is caused by NR2F1 haploinsufficiency. The NR2F1 gene, coding for a transcriptional regulator belonging to the steroid/thyroid hormone receptor superfamily, is known to play key roles in several brain developmental processes, from proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitors to migration and identity acquisition of neocortical neurons. In a clinical context, the disruption of these cellular processes could underlie the pathogenesis of several symptoms affecting BBSOAS patients, such as intellectual disability, visual impairment, epilepsy, and autistic traits. In this review, we will introduce NR2F1 protein structure, molecular functioning, and expression profile in the developing mouse brain. Then, we will focus on Nr2f1 several functions during cortical development, from neocortical area and cell-type specification to maturation of network activity, hippocampal development governing learning behaviors, assembly of the visual system, and finally establishment of cortico-spinal descending tracts regulating motor execution. Whenever possible, we will link experimental findings in animal or cellular models to corresponding features of the human pathology. Finally, we will highlight some of the unresolved questions on the diverse functions played by Nr2f1 during brain development, in order to propose future research directions. All in all, we believe that understanding BBSOAS mechanisms will contribute to further unveiling pathophysiological mechanisms shared by several neurodevelopmental disorders and eventually lead to effective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Tocco
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Nice, France
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19
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Siskos N, Ververidis C, Skavdis G, Grigoriou ME. Genoarchitectonic Compartmentalization of the Embryonic Telencephalon: Insights From the Domestic Cat. Front Neuroanat 2022; 15:785541. [PMID: 34975420 PMCID: PMC8716433 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.785541] [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] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The telencephalon develops from the alar plate of the secondary prosencephalon and is subdivided into two distinct divisions, the pallium, which derives solely from prosomere hp1, and the subpallium which derives from both hp1 and hp2 prosomeres. In this first systematic analysis of the feline telencephalon genoarchitecture, we apply the prosomeric model to compare the expression of a battery of genes, including Tbr1, Tbr2, Pax6, Mash1, Dlx2, Nkx2-1, Lhx6, Lhx7, Lhx2, and Emx1, the orthologs of which alone or in combination, demarcate molecularly distinct territories in other species. We characterize, within the pallium and the subpallium, domains and subdomains topologically equivalent to those previously described in other vertebrate species and we show that the overall genoarchitectural map of the E26/27 feline brain is highly similar to that of the E13.5/E14 mouse. In addition, using the same approach at the earlier (E22/23 and E24/25) or later (E28/29 and E34/35) stages we further analyze neurogenesis, define the timing and duration of several developmental events, and compare our data with those from similar mouse studies; our results point to a complex pattern of heterochronies and show that, compared with the mouse, developmental events in the feline telencephalon span over extended periods suggesting that cats may provide a useful animal model to study brain patterning in ontogenesis and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikistratos Siskos
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology & Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Charalampos Ververidis
- Obstetrics and Surgery Unit, Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - George Skavdis
- Laboratory of Molecular Regulation & Diagnostic Technology, Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Maria E Grigoriou
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology & Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
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20
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Narayan SK, Grace Cherian S, Babu Phaniti P, Babu Chidambaram S, Rachel Vasanthi AH, Arumugam M. Preclinical animal studies in ischemic stroke: Challenges and some solutions. Animal Model Exp Med 2021; 4:104-115. [PMID: 34179718 PMCID: PMC8212819 DOI: 10.1002/ame2.12166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the impressive efficacies demonstrated in preclinical research, hundreds of potentially neuroprotective drugs have failed to provide effective neuroprotection for ischemic stroke in human clinical trials. Lack of a powerful animal model for human ischemic stroke could be a major reason for the failure to develop successful neuroprotective drugs for ischemic stroke. This review recapitulates the available cerebral ischemia animal models, provides an anatomical comparison of the circle of Willis of each species, and describes the functional assessment tests used in these ischemic stroke models. The distinct differences between human ischemic stroke and experimental stroke in available animal models is explored. Innovative animal models more closely resembling human strokes, better techniques in functional outcome assessment and better experimental designs generating clearer and stronger evidence may help realise the development of truly neuroprotective drugs that will benefit human ischemic stroke patients. This may involve use of newer molecules or revisiting earlier studies with new experimental designs. Translation of any resultant successes may then be tested in human clinical trials with greater confidence and optimism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil K. Narayan
- Comprehensive Stroke Care and Neurobiology Centre, Department of NeurologyJawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and ResearchPuducherryIndia
| | - Simy Grace Cherian
- Comprehensive Stroke Care and Neurobiology Centre, Department of NeurologyJawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and ResearchPuducherryIndia
| | - Prakash Babu Phaniti
- Department of Biotechnology & School of Medical SciencesUniversity of HyderabadHyderabadIndia
| | | | | | - Murugesan Arumugam
- Comprehensive Stroke Care and Neurobiology Centre, Department of NeurologyJawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and ResearchPuducherryIndia
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21
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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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22
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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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23
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Schmidt AR, Gariboldi MC, Cortasa SA, Proietto S, Corso MC, Inserra PIF, Jaime VS, Halperin J, Vitullo AD, Dorfman VB. Neocortical Anatomy in the South American Plains Vizcacha, Lagostomus maximus, Reveals Different Strategies in Encephalic Development among Hystricomorpha and Myomorpha Rodents. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2021; 95:318-329. [PMID: 33910193 DOI: 10.1159/000515638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Depending on the presence or absence of sulci and convolutions, the brains of mammals are classified as gyrencephalic or lissencephalic. We analyzed the encephalic anatomy of the hystricomorph rodent Lagostomus maximus in comparison with other evolutionarily related species. The encephalization quotient (EQ), gyrencephaly index (GI), and minimum cortical thickness (MCT) were calculated for the plains vizcacha as well as for other myomorph and hystricomorph rodents. The vizcacha showed a gyrencephalic brain with a sagittal longitudinal fissure that divides both hemispheres, and 3 pairs of sulci with bilateral symmetry; that is, lateral-rostral, intraparietal, and transverse sulci. The EQ had one of the lowest values among Hystricomorpha, while GI was one of the highest. Besides, the MCT was close to the mean value for the suborder. The comparison of EQ, GI, and MCT values between hystricomorph and myomorph species allowed the detection of significant variations. Both EQ and GI showed a significant increase in Hystricomorpha compared to Myomorpha, whereas a Pearson's analysis between EQ and GI depicted an inverse correlation pattern for Hystricomorpha. Furthermore, the ratio between MCT and GI also showed a negative correlation for Hystricomorpha and Myomorpha. Our phylogenetic analyses showed that Hystricomorpha and Myomorpha do not differ in their allometric patterning between the brain and body mass, GI and brain mass, and MCT and GI. In conclusion, gyrencephalic neuroanatomy in the vizcacha could have developed from the balance between the brain size, the presence of invaginations, and the cortical thickness, which resulted in a mixed encephalization strategy for the species. Gyrencephaly in the vizcacha, as well as in other Hystricomorpha, advocates in favor of the proposal that in the more recently evolved Myomorpha lissencephaly would have arisen from a phenotype reversal process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Raúl Schmidt
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Constanza Gariboldi
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Santiago Andrés Cortasa
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sofía Proietto
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Clara Corso
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pablo Ignacio Felipe Inserra
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Vanina Soledad Jaime
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Julia Halperin
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alfredo Daniel Vitullo
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Verónica Berta Dorfman
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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24
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Endocranial Cast Anatomy of the Extinct Hipposiderid Bats Palaeophyllophora and Hipposideros (Pseudorhinolophus) (Mammalia: Chiroptera). J MAMM EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-020-09522-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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25
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Liu Y, Konopka G. An integrative understanding of comparative cognition: lessons from human brain evolution. Integr Comp Biol 2020; 60:991-1006. [PMID: 32681799 PMCID: PMC7608741 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icaa109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
A comprehensive understanding of animal cognition requires the integration of studies on behavior, electrophysiology, neuroanatomy, development, and genomics. Although studies of comparative cognition are receiving increasing attention from organismal biologists, most current studies focus on the comparison of behaviors and anatomical structures to understand their adaptative values. However, to understand the most potentially complex cognitive program of the human brain a greater synthesis of a multitude of disciplines is needed. In this review, we start with extensive neuroanatomic comparisons between humans and other primates. One likely specialization of the human brain is the expansion of neocortex, especially in regions for high-order cognition (e.g., prefrontal cortex). We then discuss how such an expansion can be linked to heterochrony of the brain developmental program, resulting in a greater number of neurons and enhanced computational capacity. Furthermore, alteration of gene expression in the human brain has been associated with positive selection in DNA sequences of gene regulatory regions. These results not only imply that genes associated with brain development are a major factor in the evolution of cognition, but also that high-quality whole-genome sequencing and gene manipulation techniques are needed for an integrative and functional understanding of comparative cognition in non-model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiang Liu
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Genevieve Konopka
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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26
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Abstract
The asymmetry of the cerebral sulcal morphology is particularly obvious in higher primates. The sulcal asymmetry in macaque monkeys, a genus of the Old World monkeys, in our previous studies and others is summarized, and its evolutionary significance is speculated. Cynomolgus macaques displayed fetal sulcation and gyration symmetrically, and the sulcal asymmetry appeared after adolescence. Population-level rightward asymmetry was revealed in the length of arcuate sulcus (ars) and the surface area of superior temporal sulcus (sts) in adult macaques. When compared to other nonhuman primates, the superior postcentral sulcus (spcs) was left-lateralized in chimpanzees, opposite of the direction of asymmetry in the ars, anatomically-identical to the spcs, in macaques. This may be associated with handedness: either right-handedness in chimpanzees or left-handedness/ambidexterity in macaques. The rightward asymmetry in the sts surface area was seen in macaques, and it was similar to humans. However, no left/right side differences were identified in the sts morphology among great apes, which suggests the evolutionary discontinuity of the sts asymmetry. The diversity of the cortical lateralization among primate species suggests that the sulcal asymmetry reflects the species-related specialization of the cortical morphology and function, which is facilitated by evolutionary expansion in higher primates.
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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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Abstract
Cortical interneurons display striking differences in shape, physiology, and other attributes, challenging us to appropriately classify them. We previously suggested that interneuron types should be defined by their role in cortical processing. Here, we revisit the question of how to codify their diversity based upon their division of labor and function as controllers of cortical information flow. We suggest that developmental trajectories provide a guide for appreciating interneuron diversity and argue that subtype identity is generated using a configurational (rather than combinatorial) code of transcription factors that produce attractor states in the underlying gene regulatory network. We present our updated three-stage model for interneuron specification: an initial cardinal step, allocating interneurons into a few major classes, followed by definitive refinement, creating subclasses upon settling within the cortex, and lastly, state determination, reflecting the incorporation of interneurons into functional circuit ensembles. We close by discussing findings indicating that major interneuron classes are both evolutionarily ancient and conserved. We propose that the complexity of cortical circuits is generated by phylogenetically old interneuron types, complemented by an evolutionary increase in principal neuron diversity. This suggests that a natural neurobiological definition of interneuron types might be derived from a match between their developmental origin and computational function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gord Fishell
- Department of Neurobiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA;
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Adam Kepecs
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA;
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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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Veeraval L, O'Leary CJ, Cooper HM. Adherens Junctions: Guardians of Cortical Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:6. [PMID: 32117958 PMCID: PMC7025593 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Apical radial glia comprise the pseudostratified neuroepithelium lining the embryonic lateral ventricles and give rise to the extensive repertoire of pyramidal neuronal subtypes of the neocortex. The establishment of a highly apicobasally polarized radial glial morphology is a mandatory prerequisite for cortical development as it governs neurogenesis, neural migration and the integrity of the ventricular wall. As in all epithelia, cadherin-based adherens junctions (AJs) play an obligate role in the maintenance of radial glial apicobasal polarity and neuroepithelial cohesion. In addition, the assembly of resilient AJs is critical to the integrity of the neuroepithelium which must resist the tensile forces arising from increasing CSF volume and other mechanical stresses associated with the expansion of the ventricles in the embryo and neonate. Junctional instability leads to the collapse of radial glial morphology, disruption of the ventricular surface and cortical lamination defects due to failed neuronal migration. The fidelity of cortical development is therefore dependent on AJ assembly and stability. Mutations in genes known to control radial glial junction formation are causative for a subset of inherited cortical malformations (neuronal heterotopias) as well as perinatal hydrocephalus, reinforcing the concept that radial glial junctions are pivotal determinants of successful corticogenesis. In this review we explore the key animal studies that have revealed important insights into the role of AJs in maintaining apical radial glial morphology and function, and as such, have provided a deeper understanding of the aberrant molecular and cellular processes contributing to debilitating cortical malformations. We highlight the reciprocal interactions between AJs and the epithelial polarity complexes that impose radial glial apicobasal polarity. We also discuss the critical molecular networks promoting AJ assembly in apical radial glia and emphasize the role of the actin cytoskeleton in the stabilization of cadherin adhesion – a crucial factor in buffering the mechanical forces exerted as a consequence of cortical expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenin Veeraval
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Conor J O'Leary
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Helen M Cooper
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Freitas LM, Dos Santos OP, Santos ALQ, de Melo FR, Silveira L, Jácomo ATDA, Pereira KF, Lima FC. Brain anatomy of two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus, Linnaeus, 1758): A comparative gross anatomical study of extant xenarthrans. Anat Histol Embryol 2019; 49:130-143. [PMID: 31588601 DOI: 10.1111/ahe.12501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The neural system plays an important role in understanding some features of animals. Anatomical complexity correlates with the increase of functional capacity. Xenarthrans include anteaters (Vermilingua), armadillos (Cingulata) and sloths (Folivora). This group is the base of eutherian mammals, and understanding the anatomy of its neural system could provide data for functional and evolutionary interpretations. The gross anatomy of the xenarthran brain is recorded. Four extant families of Pilosa and two families of Cingulata were sampled. Usual dissection procedures were used, and the brains were analysed macroscopically. The brain of two-toed sloth, three-toed sloth, six-banded armadillo, giant anteater and collared anteater are gyrencephalic. Pygmy anteater, nine-banded armadillo, great long-nosed armadillo, southern naked-tailed armadillo and giant armadillo are lissencephalic. In most species, the rhinal fissure presents two segments, rostral and caudal (except in Vermilingua and three-toed sloth). The diencephalon and brainstem present similar anatomy. The cerebellum is wide and presents four lobes (rostral, central, caudal and floccular). Its average volume is 12.16% (Folivora), 14.26% (Vermilingua) and 18.61% (Cingulata). Among these groups, there is a statistical difference between Folivora/Cingulata concerning the cerebellum average. The general pattern of the brain of the xenarthrans is similar to that of other mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letícia Menezes Freitas
- Laboratory of Human and Comparative Anatomy, Department of Morphology, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Jataí, Brazil
| | - Odeony Paulo Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Genetics Diversity, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - André Luiz Quagliatto Santos
- Wild Animal Research and Teaching Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - Fabiano Rodrigues de Melo
- Laboratory of Human and Comparative Anatomy, Department of Morphology, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Jataí, Brazil
| | | | | | - Kleber Fernando Pereira
- Laboratory of Human and Comparative Anatomy, Department of Morphology, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Jataí, Brazil
| | - Fabiano Campos Lima
- Laboratory of Human and Comparative Anatomy, Department of Morphology, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Jataí, Brazil
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Structural organization, GABAergic and tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the striatum and globus pallidus of the South American plains vizcacha, Lagostomus maximus (Rodentia, Caviomorpha). J Mol Histol 2019; 50:515-531. [PMID: 31515635 DOI: 10.1007/s10735-019-09845-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The striatum is an essential component of the basal ganglia that regulatessensory processing, motor, cognition, and behavior. Depending on the species, the striatum shows a unique structure called caudate-putamen as in mice, or its separation into two regions called caudate and lenticular nuclei, the latter formed by putamen and globus pallidus areas, as in primates. These structures have two compartments, striosome and matrix. We investigated the structural organization, GABAergic and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in the striatum and globus pallidus of the South American plains vizcacha, Lagostomus maximus. Its striatum showed regionalization arising from the presence of an internal capsule, and a similar organization to a striosome-matrix compartmentalization. GABAergic neurons in the matrix of caudate exhibited parvalbumin, calretinin, calbindin, GAD65, and NADPH-d-immunoreactivity. These were also expressed in cells of the putamen with the exception of calretinin showing neurofibers localization. Globus pallidus showed parvalbumin- and GAD65-immunoreactive cells, and calretinin- and calbindin-immunoreactive neuropil, plus GABA-A-immunoreactive neurofibers. NADPH-d-, GAD65- and GABA-A-immunoreactive neurons were larger than parvalbumin-, calretinin-, and calbindin-immunoreactive cells, whereas calbindin-immunoreactive cells were the most abundant. In addition, TH-immunoreactive neuropil was observed in the matrix of the striatum. A significant larger TH-immunoreactive area and neuron number was found in females compared to males. The presence of an internal capsule suggests an adaptive advantage concerning motor and cognitive abilities favoring reaction time in response to predators. In an anatomy-evolutive perspective, the striatum of vizcacha seems to be closer to that of humans than to that of laboratory traditional models such as mouse.
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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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Evolutionary Loss of Genomic Proximity to Conserved Noncoding Elements Impacted the Gene Expression Dynamics During Mammalian Brain Development. Genetics 2019; 211:1239-1254. [PMID: 30796012 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.301973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Conserved noncoding elements (CNEs) have a significant regulatory influence on their neighboring genes. Loss of proximity to CNEs through genomic rearrangements can, therefore, impact the transcriptional states of the cognate genes. Yet, the evolutionary implications of such chromosomal alterations have not been studied. Through genome-wide analysis of CNEs and the cognate genes of representative species from five different mammalian orders, we observed a significant loss of genes' linear proximity to CNEs in the rat lineage. The CNEs and the genes losing proximity had a significant association with fetal, but not postnatal, brain development as assessed through ontology terms, developmental gene expression, chromatin marks, and genetic mutations. The loss of proximity to CNEs correlated with the independent evolutionary loss of fetus-specific upregulation of nearby genes in the rat brain. DNA breakpoints implicated in brain abnormalities of germline origin had significant representation between a CNE and the gene that exhibited loss of proximity, signifying the underlying developmental tolerance of genomic rearrangements that allowed the evolutionary splits of CNEs and the cognate genes in the rodent lineage. Our observations highlighted a nontrivial impact of chromosomal rearrangements in shaping the evolutionary dynamics of mammalian brain development and might explain the loss of brain traits, like cerebral folding of the cortex, in the rodent lineage.
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35
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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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36
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Salazar I, Sanchez-Quinteiro P, Barrios AW, López Amado M, Vega JA. Anatomy of the olfactory mucosa. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2019; 164:47-65. [PMID: 31604563 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-63855-7.00004-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The classic notion that humans are microsmatic animals was born from comparative anatomy studies showing the reduction in the size of both the olfactory bulbs and the limbic brain relative to the whole brain. However, the human olfactory system contains a number of neurons comparable to that of most other mammals, and humans have exquisite olfactory abilities. Major advances in molecular and genetic research have resulted in the identification of extremely large gene families that express receptors for sensing odors. Such advances have led to a renaissance of studies focused on both human and nonhuman aspects of olfactory physiology and function. Evidence that olfactory dysfunction is among the earliest signs of a number of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders has led to considerable interest in the use of olfactory epithelial biopsies for potentially identifying such disorders. Moreover, the unique features of the olfactory ensheathing cells have made the olfactory mucosa a promising and unexpected source of cells for treating spinal cord injuries and other neural injuries in which cell guidance is critical. The olfactory system of humans and other primates differs in many ways from that of other species. In this chapter we provide an overview of the anatomy of not only the human olfactory mucosa but of mucosae from a range of mammals from which more detailed information is available. Basic information regarding the general organization of the olfactory mucosa, including its receptor cells and the large number of other cell types critical for their maintenance and function, is provided. Cross-species comparisons are made when appropriate. The polemic issue of the human vomeronasal organ in both the adult and fetus is discussed, along with recent findings regarding olfactory subsystems within the nose of a number of mammals (e.g., the septal organ and Grüneberg ganglion).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Salazar
- Department of Anatomy, Animal Production and Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Unit of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain.
| | - Pablo Sanchez-Quinteiro
- Department of Anatomy, Animal Production and Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Unit of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Arthur W Barrios
- Laboratory of Histology, Embryology and Animal Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University Nacional Mayor of San Marcos, Lima, Peru
| | - Manuel López Amado
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital La Coruña, La Coruña, Spain
| | - José A Vega
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Morphology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
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37
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Namba T, Vaid S, Huttner WB. Primate neocortex development and evolution: Conserved versus evolved folding. J Comp Neurol 2018; 527:1621-1632. [PMID: 30552689 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The neocortex, the seat of higher cognitive functions, exhibits a key feature across mammalian species-a highly variable degree of folding. Within the neocortex, two distinct subtypes of cortical areas can be distinguished, the isocortex and the proisocortex. Here, we have compared specific spatiotemporal aspects of folding between the proisocortex and the isocortex in 13 primates, including human, chimpanzee, and various Old World and New World monkeys. We find that folding at the boundaries of the dorsal isocortex and the proisocortex, which gives rise to the cingulate sulcus (CiS) and the lateral fissure (LF), is conserved across the primates studied and is therefore referred to as conserved folding. In contrast, the degree of folding within the dorsal isocortex exhibits huge variation across these primates, indicating that this folding, which gives rise to gyri and sulci, is subject to major changes during primate evolution. We therefore refer to the folding within the dorsal isocortex as evolved folding. Comparison of fetal neocortex development in long-tailed macaque and human reveals that the onset of conserved folding precedes the onset of evolved folding. Moreover, the analysis of infant human neocortex exhibiting lissencephaly, a developmental malformation thought to be mainly due to abnormal neuronal migration, shows that the evolved folding is perturbed more than the conserved folding. Taken together, our study presents a two-step model of folding that pertains to primate neocortex development and evolution. Specifically, our data imply that the conserved folding and the evolved folding constitute two distinct, sequential events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Namba
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Samir Vaid
- 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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Vaid S, Camp JG, Hersemann L, Eugster Oegema C, Heninger AK, Winkler S, Brandl H, Sarov M, Treutlein B, Huttner WB, Namba T. A novel population of Hopx-dependent basal radial glial cells in the developing mouse neocortex. Development 2018; 145:dev.169276. [PMID: 30266827 DOI: 10.1242/dev.169276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
A specific subpopulation of neural progenitor cells, the basal radial glial cells (bRGCs) of the outer subventricular zone (OSVZ), are thought to have a key role in the evolutionary expansion of the mammalian neocortex. In the developing lissencephalic mouse neocortex, bRGCs exist at low abundance and show significant molecular differences from bRGCs in developing gyrencephalic species. Here, we demonstrate that the developing mouse medial neocortex (medNcx), in contrast to the canonically studied lateral neocortex (latNcx), exhibits an OSVZ and an abundance of bRGCs similar to that in developing gyrencephalic neocortex. Unlike bRGCs in developing mouse latNcx, the bRGCs in medNcx exhibit human bRGC-like gene expression, including expression of Hopx, a human bRGC marker. Disruption of Hopx expression in mouse embryonic medNcx and forced Hopx expression in mouse embryonic latNcx demonstrate that Hopx is required and sufficient, respectively, for bRGC abundance as found in the developing gyrencephalic neocortex. Taken together, our data identify a novel bRGC subpopulation in developing mouse medNcx that is highly related to bRGCs of developing gyrencephalic neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samir Vaid
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - J Gray Camp
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lena Hersemann
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Christina Eugster Oegema
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Anne-Kristin Heninger
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sylke Winkler
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Holger Brandl
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Mihail Sarov
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Barbara Treutlein
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Wieland B Huttner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Takashi Namba
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
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Sauerland C, Menzies BR, Glatzle M, Seeger J, Renfree MB, Fietz SA. The Basal Radial Glia Occurs in Marsupials and Underlies the Evolution of an Expanded Neocortex in Therian Mammals. Cereb Cortex 2018; 28:145-157. [PMID: 29253253 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 10/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A hallmark of mammalian brain evolution is the emergence of the neocortex, which has expanded in all mammalian infraclasses (Eutheria, Marsupialia, Monotremata). In eutherians, neocortical neurons derive from distinct neural stem and progenitor cells (NPCs). However, precise data on the presence and abundance of the NPCs, especially of basal radial glia (bRG), in the neocortex of marsupials are lacking. This study characterized and quantified the NPCs in the developing neocortex of a marsupial, the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii). Our data demonstrate that its neocortex is characterized by high NPC diversity. Importantly, we show that bRG exist at high relative abundance in the tammar indicating that this cell type is not specific to the eutherian neocortex and that similar mechanisms may underlie the formation of an expanded neocortex in eutherian and marsupial mammals. We also show that bRG are likely to have been present in the therian ancestor, so did not emerge independently in the eutherian and marsupial lineages. Moreover, our data support the concept that changes in multiple parameters contribute to neocortex expansion and demonstrate the importance of bRG and other NPCs for the development and expansion of the mammalian neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Sauerland
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Brandon R Menzies
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Megan Glatzle
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Johannes Seeger
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marilyn B Renfree
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Simone A Fietz
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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Clark BS, Blackshaw S. Understanding the Role of lncRNAs in Nervous System Development. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1008:253-282. [PMID: 28815543 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-5203-3_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The diversity of lncRNAs has expanded within mammals in tandem with the evolution of increased brain complexity, suggesting that lncRNAs play an integral role in this process. In this chapter, we will highlight the identification and characterization of lncRNAs in nervous system development. We discuss the potential role of lncRNAs in nervous system and brain evolution, along with efforts to create comprehensive catalogues that analyze spatial and temporal changes in lncRNA expression during nervous system development. Additionally, we focus on recent endeavors that attempt to assign function to lncRNAs during nervous system development. We highlight discrepancies that have been observed between in vitro and in vivo studies of lncRNA function and the challenges facing researchers in conducting mechanistic analyses of lncRNAs in the developing nervous system. Altogether, this chapter highlights the emerging role of lncRNAs in the developing brain and sheds light on novel, RNA-mediated mechanisms by which nervous system development is controlled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian S Clark
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Matsumoto N, Shinmyo Y, Ichikawa Y, Kawasaki H. Gyrification of the cerebral cortex requires FGF signaling in the mammalian brain. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 29132503 PMCID: PMC5685484 DOI: 10.7554/elife.29285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Although it has been believed that the evolution of cortical folds was a milestone, allowing for an increase in the number of neurons in the cerebral cortex, the mechanisms underlying the formation of cortical folds are largely unknown. Here we show regional differences in the expression of fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) in the developing cerebral cortex of ferrets even before cortical folds are formed. By taking the advantage of our in utero electroporation technique for ferrets, we found that cortical folding was impaired in the ferret cerebral cortex when FGF signaling was inhibited. We also found that FGF signaling was crucial for producing Pax6-positive neural progenitors in the outer subventricular zone (OSVZ) of the developing cerebral cortex. Furthermore, we found that upper layers of the cerebral cortex were preferentially reduced by inhibiting FGF signaling. Our results shed light on the mechanisms of cortical folding in gyrencephalic mammalian brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoyuki Matsumoto
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Yohei Shinmyo
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Yoshie Ichikawa
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kawasaki
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa, Japan
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42
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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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43
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A Digital Endocranial Cast of the Early Paleocene (Puercan) 'Archaic' Mammal Onychodectes tisonensis (Eutheria: Taeniodonta). J MAMM EVOL 2017; 25:179-195. [PMID: 29755252 PMCID: PMC5938319 DOI: 10.1007/s10914-017-9381-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Eutherian mammals-placentals and their closest extinct relatives-underwent a major radiation following the end-Cretaceous extinction, during which they evolved disparate anatomy and established new terrestrial ecosystems. Much about the timing, pace, and causes of this radiation remain unclear, in large part because we still know very little about the anatomy, phylogenetic relationships, and biology of the so-called 'archaic' eutherians that prospered during the ~10 million years after the extinction. We describe the first digital endocranial cast of a taeniodont, a bizarre group of eutherians that flourished in the early Paleogene, reconstructed from a computed tomography (CT) scan of a late Puercan (65.4 million year old) specimen of Onychodectes tisonensis that recovered most of the forebrain and midbrain and portions of the inner ear. Notable features of the endocast include long, broad olfactory bulbs, dorsally-positioned rhinal fissures, and a lissencephalic cerebrum. Comparison with other taxa shows that Onychodectes possessed some of the largest olfactory bulbs (relative to cerebral size) of any known mammal. Statistical analysis of modern mammals shows that relative olfactory bulb dimensions are not strongly correlated with body size or fossorial digging for shelter, but relative bulb width is significantly greater in taxa that habitually dig to forage for food. The anatomical description and statistical results allow us to present an ecological model for Onychodectes and similar taeniodonts, in which they are animals of simple behavior that rely on a strong sense of smell to locate buried food before extracting and processing it with their specialized skeletal anatomy.
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Hopkins WD, Li X, Crow T, Roberts N. Vertex- and atlas-based comparisons in measures of cortical thickness, gyrification and white matter volume between humans and chimpanzees. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 222:229-245. [PMID: 27100220 PMCID: PMC8401708 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-016-1213-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
What changes in cortical organisation characterise global and localised variation between humans and chimpanzees remains a topic of considerable interest in evolutionary neuroscience. Here, we examined regional variation in cortical thickness, gyrification and white matter in samples of human and chimpanzee brains. Both species were MRI scanned on the same platform using identical procedures. The images were processed and segmented by FSL and FreeSurfer and the relative changes in cortical thickness, gyrification and white matter across the entire cortex were compared between species. In general, relative to chimpanzees, humans had significantly greater gyrification and significantly thinner cortex, particularly in the frontal lobe. Human brains also had disproportionately higher white matter volumes in the frontal lobe, particularly in prefrontal regions. Collectively, the findings suggest that after the split from the common ancestor, white matter expansion and subsequently increasing gyrification occurred in the frontal lobe possibly due to increased selection for human cognitive and motor specialisations.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 5030, 30302, Atlanta, Georgia.
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 30329, Atlanta, Georgia.
| | - Xiang Li
- Clinical Research Imaging Centre (CRIC), School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH13 0HT, UK
| | - Tim Crow
- SANE POWIC, University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK
| | - Neil Roberts
- Clinical Research Imaging Centre (CRIC), School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH13 0HT, UK
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45
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Abstract
Anatomical and electrophysiological studies have provided us with detailed information regarding the extent and topography of the primary (V1) and secondary (V2) visual areas in primates. The consensus about the V1 and V2 maps, however, is in sharp contrast with controversies regarding the organization of the cortical areas lying immediately rostral to V2. In this review, we address the contentious issue of the extent of the third visual area (V3). Specifically, we will argue for the existence of both ventral (V3v) and dorsal (V3d) segments of V3, which are located, respectively, adjacent to the anterior border of ventral and dorsal V2. V3v and V3d would together constitute a single functional area with a complete representation of both upper and lower visual hemifields. Another contentious issue is the organization of the parietal-occipital (PO) area, which also borders the rostral edge of the medial portion of dorsal V2. Different from V1, V2, and V3, which exhibit a topography based on the defined lines of isoeccentricity and isopolar representation, area PO only has a systematic representation of polar angles, with an emphasis on the peripheral visual field (isoeccentricity lines are not well defined). Based on the connectivity patterns of area PO with distinct cytochrome oxidase modules in V2, we propose a subdivision of the dorsal stream of visual information processing into lateral and medial domains. In this model, area PO constitutes the first processing instance of the dorsal-medial stream, coding for the full-field flow of visual cues during navigation. Finally, we compare our findings with those in other species of Old and New World monkeys and argue that larger animals, such as macaque and capuchin monkeys, have similar organizations of the areas rostral to V2, which is different from that in smaller New World monkeys.
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Minervini S, Accogli G, Pirone A, Graïc JM, Cozzi B, Desantis S. Brain Mass and Encephalization Quotients in the Domestic Industrial Pig (Sus scrofa). PLoS One 2016; 11:e0157378. [PMID: 27351807 PMCID: PMC4924858 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Accepted: 05/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present study we examined the brain of fetal, newborn, and adult pigs raised for meat production. The fresh and formalin-fixed weights of the brain have been recorded and used, together with body weight, to calculate the Encephalization Quotient (EQ). The weight of the cerebellum has been used to calculate the Cerebellar Quotient (CQ). The results have been discussed together with analogue data obtained in other terrestrial Cetartiodactyla (including the domestic bovine, sheep, goat, and camel), domesticated Carnivora, Proboscidata, and Primates. Our study, based on a relatively large experimental series, corrects former observations present in the literature based on smaller samples, and emphasizes that the domestic pig has a small brain relative to its body size (EQ = 0.38 for adults), possibly due to factors linked to the necessity of meat production and improved body weight. Comparison with other terrestrial Cetartiodactyla indicates a similar trend for all domesticated species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Minervini
- Section of Veterinary Clinics and Animal Productions, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (DETO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Valenzano (Ba), Italy
| | - Gianluca Accogli
- Section of Veterinary Clinics and Animal Productions, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (DETO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Valenzano (Ba), Italy
| | - Andrea Pirone
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Jean-Marie Graïc
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Bruno Cozzi
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Salvatore Desantis
- Section of Veterinary Clinics and Animal Productions, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (DETO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Valenzano (Ba), Italy
- * E-mail:
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47
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Fernández V, Llinares-Benadero C, Borrell V. Cerebral cortex expansion and folding: what have we learned? EMBO J 2016; 35:1021-44. [PMID: 27056680 PMCID: PMC4868950 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201593701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 210] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Revised: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most prominent features of the human brain is the fabulous size of the cerebral cortex and its intricate folding. Cortical folding takes place during embryonic development and is important to optimize the functional organization and wiring of the brain, as well as to allow fitting a large cortex in a limited cranial volume. Pathological alterations in size or folding of the human cortex lead to severe intellectual disability and intractable epilepsy. Hence, cortical expansion and folding are viewed as key processes in mammalian brain development and evolution, ultimately leading to increased intellectual performance and, eventually, to the emergence of human cognition. Here, we provide an overview and discuss some of the most significant advances in our understanding of cortical expansion and folding over the last decades. These include discoveries in multiple and diverse disciplines, from cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating cortical development and neurogenesis, genetic mechanisms defining the patterns of cortical folds, the biomechanics of cortical growth and buckling, lessons from human disease, and how genetic evolution steered cortical size and folding during mammalian evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Fernández
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas & Universidad Miguel Hernández, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Cristina Llinares-Benadero
- 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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48
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Mota B, Herculano-Houzel S. Response to Comments on "Cortical folding scales universally with surface area and thickness, not number of neurons". Science 2016; 351:826. [PMID: 26912888 DOI: 10.1126/science.aad2346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
De Lussanet claims that our model that accounts for the degree of folding of the cerebral cortex based on the product of cortical surface area and the square root of cortical thickness is better reduced to the product of gray-matter proportion and folding index. Lewitus et al., in turn, claim that the assumptions of our model are in conflict with experimental data; that the model does not accurately fit the data; and that the ancestral mammalian brain was gyrencephalic. Here, we show that both claims are inappropriate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Mota
- Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
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49
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Mota B, Herculano-Houzel S. BRAIN STRUCTURE. Cortical folding scales universally with surface area and thickness, not number of neurons. Science 2015; 349:74-7. [PMID: 26138976 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaa9101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Larger brains tend to have more folded cortices, but what makes the cortex fold has remained unknown. We show that the degree of cortical folding scales uniformly across lissencephalic and gyrencephalic species, across individuals, and within individual cortices as a function of the product of cortical surface area and the square root of cortical thickness. This relation is derived from the minimization of the effective free energy associated with cortical shape according to a simple physical model, based on known mechanisms of axonal elongation. This model also explains the scaling of the folding index of crumpled paper balls. We discuss the implications of this finding for the evolutionary and developmental origin of folding, including the newfound continuum between lissencephaly and gyrencephaly, and for pathologies such as human lissencephaly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Mota
- Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Suzana Herculano-Houzel
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Instituto Nacional de Neurociência Translacional, INCT/MCT, São Paulo, Brazil.
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50
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De Juan Romero C, Borrell V. Coevolution of radial glial cells and the cerebral cortex. Glia 2015; 63:1303-19. [PMID: 25808466 PMCID: PMC5008138 DOI: 10.1002/glia.22827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Radial glia cells play fundamental roles in the development of the cerebral cortex, acting both as the primary stem and progenitor cells, as well as the guides for neuronal migration and lamination. These critical functions of radial glia cells in cortical development have been discovered mostly during the last 15 years and, more recently, seminal studies have demonstrated the existence of a remarkable diversity of additional cortical progenitor cell types, including a variety of basal radial glia cells with key roles in cortical expansion and folding, both in ontogeny and phylogeny. In this review, we summarize the main cellular and molecular mechanisms known to be involved in cerebral cortex development in mouse, as the currently preferred animal model, and then compare these with known mechanisms in other vertebrates, both mammal and nonmammal, including human. This allows us to present a global picture of how radial glia cells and the cerebral cortex seem to have coevolved, from reptiles to primates, leading to the remarkable diversity of vertebrate cortical phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camino De Juan Romero
- 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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