A critical function of the pial basement membrane in cortical histogenesis.
Mice with a targeted deletion of the nidogen-binding site of laminin gamma1 were used to study the function of the pial basement membrane in cortical histogenesis. The pial basement membrane in the mutant embryos assembled but was unstable and disintegrated at random segments. In segments with a disrupted basement membrane, radial glia cells were retracted from the pial surface, and radially migrating neurons, including Cajal-Retzius cells and cortical plate neurons, passed the meninges or terminated their migration prematurely. By correlating the disruptions in the pial basal lamina with changes in the morphology of radial glia cells, the aberrant migration of Cajal-Retzius cells, and subsequent dysplasia of cortical plate neurons, the present data establish a causal relationship of proper cortical histogenesis with the presence of an intact pial basement membrane.
Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA. whalfter@pitt.edu
Willi
W
Halfter
Sucai
S
Dong
Yi-Ping
YP
Yip
Michael
M
Willem
Ulrike
U
Mayer
D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000502:physiology*; D002465:Cell Movement; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007797:Laminin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D023421:Models, Animal; D009457:Neuroglia; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D010841:Pia Mater / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000502:physiology*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis
D007797:Laminin; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C089141:laminin gamma 1; C029967:nidogen