Characterization of Nkx6-2-derived neocortical interneuron lineages.
Ventral telencephalic progenitors expressing the homeodomain transcription factor Nkx6-2 have been shown to give rise to a multitude of cortical interneuron subtypes usually associated with origin in either the medial ganglionic eminence or the caudal ganglionic eminence. The function of Nkx6-2 in directing the fate of those progenitors has, however, not been thoroughly analyzed. We used a combination of genetic inducible fate mapping and in vivo loss-of-function to analyze the requirement of Nkx6-2 in determining the fate of cortical interneurons. We have found that interneuron subtypes are born with a characteristic temporal pattern. Furthermore, we extend the characterization of interneurons from the Nkx6-2 lineage through the application of electrophysiological methods. Analysis of these populations in Nkx6-2 null mice suggests that there is a small and partially penetrant loss of delayed non-fast spiking somatostatin/calretinin double positive cortical interneurons in the absence of Nkx6-2 gene function.
Neuroscience Program, Smilow Research Center, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA.
Vitor H
VH
Sousa
Goichi
G
Miyoshi
Jens
J
Hjerling-Leffler
Theofanis
T
Karayannis
Gord
G
Fishell
D000818:Animals; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007395:Interneurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D019579:Neocortex / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C117745:Nkx6-2 protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors