title: Fate-restricted neural progenitors in the mammalian cerebral cortex.
abstract: During development of the mammalian cerebral cortex, radial glial cells (RGCs) generate layer-specific subtypes of excitatory neurons in a defined temporal sequence, in which lower-layer neurons are formed before upper-layer neurons. It has been proposed that neuronal subtype fate is determined by birthdate through progressive restriction of the neurogenic potential of a common RGC progenitor. Here, we demonstrate that the murine cerebral cortex contains RGC sublineages with distinct fate potentials. Using in vivo genetic fate mapping and in vitro clonal analysis, we identified an RGC lineage that is intrinsically specified to generate only upper-layer neurons, independently of niche and birthdate. Because upper cortical layers were expanded during primate evolution, amplification of this RGC pool may have facilitated human brain evolution.
authors.affiliation: Dorris Neuroscience Center and Department of Cell Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Santos J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gil-Sanz
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Martinez-Garay
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Espinosa
authors.forename: Sarah R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Harkins-Perry
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019070:Cell Lineage; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D055495:Neurogenesis; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
chemical_list: C101672:Cux2 protein, mouse; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins