title: Postmitotic regulation of sensory area patterning in the mammalian neocortex by Lhx2.
abstract: Current knowledge suggests that cortical sensory area identity is controlled by transcription factors (TFs) that specify area features in progenitor cells and subsequently their progeny in a one-step process. However, how neurons acquire and maintain these features is unclear. We have used conditional inactivation restricted to postmitotic cortical neurons in mice to investigate the role of the TF LIM homeobox 2 (Lhx2) in this process and report that in conditional mutant cortices area patterning is normal in progenitors but strongly affected in cortical plate (CP) neurons. We show that Lhx2 controls neocortical area patterning by regulating downstream genetic and epigenetic regulators that drive the acquisition of molecular properties in CP neurons. Our results question a strict hierarchy in which progenitors dominate area identity, suggesting a novel and more comprehensive two-step model of area patterning: In progenitors, patterning TFs prespecify sensory area blueprints. Sequentially, sustained function of alignment TFs, including Lhx2, is essential to maintain and to translate the blueprints into functional sensory area properties in cortical neurons postmitotically. Our results reemphasize critical roles for Lhx2 that acts as one of the terminal selector genes in controlling principal properties of neurons.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037; and.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8468-4195
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zembrzycki
authors.affiliation: Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037; and.
authors.forename: Carlos G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Perez-Garcia
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Fang
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shen-Ju
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037; and doleary@salk.edu.
authors.forename: Dennis D M
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: O'Leary
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008938:Mitosis; D008959:Models, Neurological; D019579:Neocortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; C489784:Lhx2 protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: CoupTF1; MeCP2; epigenetic mechanisms; neuronal fate; terminal selector genes