Mechanisms of neuronal fate determination in the cerebral cortex

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24500394
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neuroscience in general
• Research Institution: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: HANASHIMA Carina 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 多細胞システム形成研究センター, チームリーダー (80469915)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 大脳皮質 / ニューロン / 分化 / 遺伝子発現

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The neocortex is comprised of diverse neurons that are organized into six layers and is the processing center for complex behaviors such as perceptions and voluntary movements. Currently, the mechanisms underlying the specification and assembly of each neuronal component of the neocortex remain largely elusive. To understand the organizing principles of the cerebral cortex, we focused on gene program that operates during neural cell differentiation. We first established a system in which temporal subtypes are labeled in developing mouse neocortex, and performed genome-wide analysis to identify layer-specific expressing genes. We further performed functional analysis, and revealed that these molecules are responsible to establish laminar-specific neuronal distribution and dendrite morphology. These studies demonstrated that neocortical circuit formation requires layer-specific gene program that direct the morphogenesis and assembly of individual neuronal subtype during differentiation.

Free Research Field

神経発生学