Early split in brain precursors creates two neuron lineages, mouse study finds
The cerebral cortex is densely packed with different nerve cells that enable us to perceive, think and act. Yet how these cell types arise as the brain develops is still not fully understood. Irene Varela-Martínez, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), traces their origins like a family tree detective for nerve cells.
A recent study published in Science Advances reveals that precursor cells of neurons in the brain's cerebral cortex split into two independent lineages early on. This contradicts previous assumptions that neural stem cells first generate one type of projection neuron before switching to another. Irene Varela-Martínez, a postdoctoral researcher at ISTA, led the research.
In mice, her team found that production of two distinct types of projection neurons—extra-telencephalic (ET-PNs) and intra-telencephalic (IT-PNs)—occurs simultaneously. ET-PNs are confined to deeper cortical layers, while IT-PNs populate both superficial and deep layers. Using a technique called MADM, the researchers mapped the cell lineages of ET-PNs and IT-PNs, discovering that they originate from separate developmental branches stemming from radial glial precursor cells.
These findings challenge the notion that radial glial progenitors follow a single developmental pathway. Varela-Martínez's work also explores how brain size and complexity have evolved over time, focusing on the adaptation of neural stem cell development to generate more diverse neurons.
Written by urgent.news from Medical Xpress's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
