title: Genetic regulation of prefrontal cortex development and function.
abstract: The prefrontal cortex (PFC) consists of multiple areas that mediate a wide range of higher-order behaviours in mammals. Despite years of intensive neuroanatomical and functional studies, little is known about the genetic mechanisms that pattern this structure during development. It has been recognized that fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling from the rostral patterning centre could have a central role in regulating rostral telencephalic development. A subset of FGF genes are expressed in the rostral patterning centre in the embryonic telencephalon. Recent evidence shows that FGFs, including Fgf17, regulate the graded expression of regulatory genes in the cortical neuroepithelium, which may specify the initial distribution of PFC regional subdivisions and ultimately mature areas.
authors.affiliation: Medical Scientist Training Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-2611, USA.
authors.forename: Jeremy A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cholfin
authors.forename: John L R
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rubenstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000196:embryology* / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors