Patterning the mammalian cerebral cortex

When and how is the area map of the cerebral cortex set up during development? Recent studies indicate that regional pattern emerges early in cortical neurogenesis, and that this pattern does not require cues from extrinsic innervation. Studies of mutant mice indicate a role for embryonic signaling...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current Opinion in Neurobiology 2001-02, Vol.11 (1), p.50-58
Main Authors: Ragsdale, Clifton W, Grove, Elizabeth A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
BMP
Cerebral cortex
Cerebral Cortex - embryology
Cortical areas
Hippocampus
Humans
Mammalia
Models, Biological
Morphogens
Pattern formation
Protein Sorting Signals - physiology
Protomap
Signal Transduction - physiology
Thalamus - embryology
Transcription, Genetic - physiology
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Summary:When and how is the area map of the cerebral cortex set up during development? Recent studies indicate that regional pattern emerges early in cortical neurogenesis, and that this pattern does not require cues from extrinsic innervation. Studies of mutant mice indicate a role for embryonic signaling centers and for specific transcription factors in regionalizing the cortex. Thus, it is increasingly probable that the cortex is partitioned using the same types of mechanisms — and in some cases, the same gene families — that are used in patterning other parts of the embryo. This emerging model is likely to be the basis for many future studies. However, new evidence also confirms the special nature of the cerebral cortex, in that cues from developing connections appear to modify and refine the final area map.
ISSN:0959-4388
1873-6882
DOI:10.1016/S0959-4388(00)00173-2