title: Cell fate control in the developing central nervous system.
abstract: The principal neural cell types forming the mature central nervous system (CNS) are now understood to be diverse. This cellular subtype diversity originates to a large extent from the specification of the earlier proliferating progenitor populations during development. Here, we review the processes governing the differentiation of a common neuroepithelial cell progenitor pool into mature neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, ependymal cells and adult stem cells. We focus on studies performed in mice and involving two distinct CNS structures: the spinal cord and the cerebral cortex. Understanding the origin, specification and developmental regulators of neural cells will ultimately impact comprehension and treatments of neurological disorders and diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Guérout
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden.
authors.forename: Xiaofei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden. Electronic address: Fanie.Barnabe-Heider@ki.se.
authors.forename: Fanie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barnabé-Heider
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology*; D051379:Mice; D038081:Organogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*
keywords: Ependymal cells; Gliogenesis; Neurogenesis; Progenitors; Stem cells