title: Drosophila intermediate neural progenitors produce lineage-dependent related series of diverse neurons.
abstract: Drosophila type II neuroblasts (NBs), like mammalian neural stem cells, deposit neurons through intermediate neural progenitors (INPs) that can each produce a series of neurons. Both type II NBs and INPs exhibit age-dependent expression of various transcription factors, potentially specifying an array of diverse neurons by combinatorial temporal patterning. Not knowing which mature neurons are made by specific INPs, however, conceals the actual variety of neuron types and limits further molecular studies. Here we mapped neurons derived from specific type II NB lineages and found that sibling INPs produced a morphologically similar but temporally regulated series of distinct neuron types. This suggests a common fate diversification program operating within each INP that is modulated by NB age to generate slightly different sets of diverse neurons based on the INP birth order. Analogous mechanisms might underlie the expansion of neuron diversity via INPs in mammalian brain.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Farm Research Campus, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA.
authors.forename: Yu-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jacob S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Qingzhong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Ying-Jou
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Haojiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luan
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brody
authors.forename: Ward F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Odenwald
authors.forename: Tzumin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D019070:Cell Lineage; D004330:Drosophila / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D008959:Models, Neurological; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis
keywords: Adult brain; Cell lineage analysis; Drosophila type II neuroblasts; Intermediate neural progenitors; Neuronal cell fate; Temporal identity