title: Vsx1 Transiently Defines an Early Intermediate V2 Interneuron Precursor Compartment in the Mouse Developing Spinal Cord.
abstract: Spinal ventral interneurons regulate the activity of motor neurons, thereby controlling motor activities. Interneurons arise during embryonic development from distinct progenitor domains distributed orderly along the dorso-ventral axis of the neural tube. A single ventral progenitor population named p2 generates at least five V2 interneuron subsets. Whether the diversification of V2 precursors into multiple subsets occurs within the p2 progenitor domain or involves a later compartment of early-born V2 interneurons remains unsolved. Here, we provide evidence that the p2 domain produces an intermediate V2 precursor compartment characterized by the transient expression of the transcriptional repressorVsx1. These cells display an original repertoire of cellular markers distinct from that of any V2 interneuron population. They have exited the cell cycle but have not initiated neuronal differentiation. They coexpressVsx1andFoxn4, suggesting that they can generate the known V2 interneuron populations as well as possible additional V2 subsets. Unlike V2 interneurons, the generation of Vsx1-positive precursors does not depend on the Notch signaling pathway but expression ofVsx1in these cells requires Pax6. Hence, the p2 progenitor domain generates an intermediate V2 precursor compartment, characterized by the presence of the transcriptional repressor Vsx1, that contributes to V2 interneuron development.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neural Differentiation, Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Cédric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Francius
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neural Differentiation, Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hidalgo-Figueroa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neural Differentiation, Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Debrulle
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neural Differentiation, Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pelosi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neural Differentiation, Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rucchin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Victoria Victoria, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Kara
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ronellenfitch
authors.affiliation: The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics Nicosia, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Panayiotou
authors.affiliation: The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics Nicosia, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Neoklis
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Makrides
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine and Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers University - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Piscataway, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Kamana
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Misra
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neural Differentiation, Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM) Paris, France.
authors.forename: Hessameh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hassani
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Schakman
authors.affiliation: Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM) Paris, France.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Parras
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine and Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers University - Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscataway, NJ, USA; State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen UniversityGuangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Mengqing
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics Nicosia, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Stavros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Malas
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Victoria Victoria, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neural Differentiation, Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Clotman
keywords: V2 interneurons; Vsx1; embryonic development; neural differentiation; spinal cord; spinal locomotor circuits