Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hong Li, Alvaro Duque, Pasko Rakic
Summary: New studies in rodents have provided insights into the functions of the claustrum, suggesting its involvement in attention, salience detection, slow-wave generation, and neocortical network synchronization. However, the origin and development of the claustrum, particularly in primates, remain poorly understood. This study demonstrates that the claustrum in rhesus macaque embryos expresses neocortical molecular markers and undergoes two waves of neurogenesis, establishing a core and shell cytoarchitecture. Furthermore, the claustrum is found to be an independent pallial region, indicating its potentially unique role in cognitive control.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Juan Bernal, Beatriz Morte, Diego Diez
Summary: This article reviews the role of thyroid hormones in human neocortex development, focusing on the expression of thyroid hormone regulators in specific cells. Recent advances in single-cell transcriptomic approaches allow for the profiling of thyroid hormone transporters, deiodinases, and receptors in developing human neocortex.
JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Marco Massimo, Katherine R. Long
Summary: This review summarizes the key findings on the mechanisms regulating the development of the human neocortex, studied by scientists from various fields at different scales, and explores their interconnections.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Julio Martinez-Trujillo
Summary: A new study has revealed that in primates with specialized visual systems, the generation of motor commands for exploratory saccades occurs in the midbrain, then propagates to the thalamus, and finally reaches hippocampal circuits in the depths of the temporal lobe, influencing the formation of memories.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jingwen Ding, Alex A. Pollen
Summary: The human cerebral cortex has tripled in size since divergence from chimpanzees, driven by the increased proliferative capacity of radial glia. Studies suggest that the increased proliferative capacity of human NPCs involves cell-intrinsic mechanisms and human-specific genetic changes. The human-specific gene ARHGAP11B has been shown to increase basal progenitor abundance.
Article
Neurosciences
Kristina D. Micheva, Marianna Kiraly, Marc M. Perez, Daniel Madison
Summary: PV+ basket cells are specialized cortical interneurons that regulate local neuronal circuits with high temporal precision. During development, their connectivity undergoes rapid changes, including fast myelination of proximal axons, reduction in synaptic contacts on postsynaptic neurons, and reorganization of axonal paths towards more proximal locations. These structural refinements likely contribute to the robust inhibitory effects and fine temporal precision of adult PV+ basket cells.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sebastian S. James, Mackenzie Englund, Riley Bottom, Roberto Perez, Kathleen E. Connor, Kelly J. Huffman, Stuart P. Wilson, Leah A. Krubitzer
Summary: Advances in sequencing techniques have allowed for comparative studies of gene expression, but spatial expression has remained limited due to a lack of robust methodology. In this study, methods and software tools were developed to quantify and compare tissue-wide spatial patterns of gene expression within and between species. The expression patterns of RZR beta and Id2 mRNA in the cortex were compared across early postnatal development in mice and voles. The results showed that RZR beta expression patterns were highly conserved between species, while Id2 expression patterns emerged in a consistent manner across layers in both species. These differences in neocortical patterning development were suggested to reflect the independent evolution of brains, bodies, and sensory systems since their common ancestor 35 million years ago.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Katherine R. Long, Wieland B. Huttner
Summary: This review focuses on the role of ECM in human neocortex development, including its regulation of neural stem and progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation, the architecture of the developing neocortex, and the impact of mutations in ECM and ECM-associated genes on neurodevelopmental disorders.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Developmental Biology
Andi Wang, Junbao Wang, Kuan Tian, Dawei Huo, Hanzhe Ye, Si Li, Chen Zhao, Bo Zhang, Yue Zheng, Lichao Xu, Xiaojiao Hua, Kun Wang, Qing-Feng Wu, Xudong Wu, Tao Zeng, Ying Liu, Yan Zhou
Summary: The study reveals that LncBAR plays a crucial role in controlling the properties of intermediate progenitors (IPs) during neocortical neurogenesis. Knockout of LncBAR promotes IP production but paradoxically prolongs the cell cycle duration of IPs, impacting the development of neocortical projection neurons.
Review
Cell Biology
Barbara K. Stepien, Samir Vaid, Wieland B. Huttner
Summary: The neocortex is a unique six-layer neuronal brain structure that evolved in mammals and is responsible for higher order brain functions in humans. Despite variability in size and complexity among closely related mammalian species, its expansion, particularly in humans, is associated with an increase in the number of neurons, especially in the upper layers. Various mechanisms, including changes in neural progenitor types and extension of the neurogenic period, have been proposed to explain this evolutionary enlargement.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Meretta A. Hanson, Jason C. Wester
Summary: Recent studies have improved our understanding of different types of neurons and how to target them for experiments. This is crucial for investigating cortical circuit architecture, as the current catalog of established cell-type specific circuit motifs is limited. Certain circuit motifs are found throughout the cortex, indicating their importance for basic computations. However, the organization of circuits across the brain and their variation by cortical region is still unclear. Experimental access to neuronal subtypes with temporal control is essential for studying cortical structure and function.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Vasiliki Gkini, Takashi Namba
Summary: Multiple types of neural progenitor cells contribute to the development of the neocortex, and their metabolisms, especially glutaminolysis, play a critical role in neocortical development, evolution, and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Review
Cell Biology
Sarah Fernandes, Davis Klein, Maria C. Marchetto
Summary: Brain organoids are proving to be valuable models for studying human brain development, allowing for the replication of human-specific developmental processes and identification of potential therapeutic targets or disease prevention strategies. The technology holds promise for accurately representing and elucidating human brain development processes.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jan Fischer, Eduardo Fernandez Ortuno, Fabio Marsoner, Annasara Artioli, Jula Peters, Takashi Namba, Christina Eugster Oegema, Wieland B. Huttner, Julia Ladewig, Michael Heide
Summary: Genetic manipulation of ARHGAP11B levels and function in chimpanzee and human cerebral organoids demonstrates that ARHGAP11B is essential for maintaining elevated basal progenitor levels in the developing human neocortex, indicating its significant role in human brain evolution.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jordan P. Hamm, Yuriy Shymkiv, Shuting Han, Weijian Yang, Rafael Yuste
Summary: Neural processing of sensory information is strongly influenced by context, with stimulus-evoked responses being reduced or increased depending on contextual regularities. Deviance-augmented responses are limited to specific neurons in the supragranular layers of the visual cortex, forming a neuronal ensemble. Higher cortical areas modulate these context-selective ensembles in the primary sensory cortex, which play a crucial role in the brain's construction and selection of prediction errors.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)