QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

The Journal of Neuroscience, October 28, 2009, 29(43):13710-13719; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3022-09.2009

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplemental Data Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Mutch, C. A. Articles by Chenn, A. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Mutch, C. A. Articles by Chenn, A.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Development/Plasticity/Repair
β-Catenin Signaling Levels in Progenitors Influence the Laminar Cell Fates of Projection Neurons

Christopher A. Mutch,¹ Nobuo Funatsu,² Edwin S. Monuki,² and Anjen Chenn¹

¹Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, and ²Department of Pathology, University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California 92697

Correspondence should be addressed to Anjen Chenn, Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Ward 3-190, Chicago, IL 60611. Email: achenn{at}northwestern.edu

The mechanisms underlying the timing of the laminar fate decisions during cortical neurogenesis remain poorly understood. Here we show that β-catenin signaling in cortical neural precursors can regulate the laminar fate of their daughters. In ventricular zone neural precursors, β-catenin signaling is higher when deep-layer neurons are being generated and lower when upper-layer neurons are being generated. Overactivation of β-catenin in cortical precursors midway through corticogenesis increased the relative production of deep-layer neurons, while inhibition of signaling increased the relative production of upper-layer neurons. Furthermore, in late-gestation upper-layer precursors, overactive β-catenin signaling was able to partially restore production of deep-layer neurons. These observations suggest that increased β-catenin signaling can reset the timing of cortical precursors to promote the production of deep-layer neurons, while inhibition of β-catenin signaling advances the timing to promote upper-layer production.

---

Received June 25, 2009; revised Sept. 9, 2009; accepted Sept. 17, 2009.

Correspondence should be addressed to Anjen Chenn, Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Ward 3-190, Chicago, IL 60611. Email: achenn{at}northwestern.edu

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help