title: Early neuronal and glial fate restriction of embryonic neural stem cells.
abstract: The question of how neurons and glial cells are generated during the development of the CNS has over time led to two alternative models: either neuroepithelial cells are capable of giving rise to neurons first and to glial cells at a later stage (switching model), or they are intrinsically committed to generate one or the other (segregating model). Using the developing diencephalon as a model and by selecting a subpopulation of ventricular cells, we analyzed both in vitro, using clonal analysis, and in vivo, using inducible Cre/loxP fate mapping, the fate of neuroepithelial and radial glial cells generated at different time points during embryonic development. We found that, during neurogenic periods [embryonic day 9.5 (E9.5) to 12.5], proteolipid protein (plp)-expressing cells were lineage-restricted neuronal precursors, but later in embryogenesis, during gliogenic periods (E13.5 to early postnatal), plp-expressing cells were lineage-restricted glial precursors. In addition, we show that glial cells forming at E13.5 arise from a new pool of neuroepithelial progenitors distinct from neuronal progenitors cells, which lends support to the segregating model.
authors.affiliation: Inserm, Unité 711, 75013 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Delaunay
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heydon
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cumano
authors.forename: Markus H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Schwab
authors.forename: Jean-Léon
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Ueli
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Suter
authors.forename: Klaus-Armin
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Nave
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zalc
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Spassky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D004027:Diencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors