Abstract
Background:
Radial glia comprise a molecularly defined neural progenitor population but their role in neurogenesis has remained contested due to the lack of a single universally accepted genetic tool for tracing their progeny and the inability to distinguish functionally distinct developmental stages.
Results:
By direct comparisons of Cre/loxP lineage tracing results obtained using three different radial glial promoters (Blbp, Glast, and hGFAP), we show that most neurons in the brain are derived from radial glia. Further, we show that hGFAP promoter induction occurs in ventral telencephalic radial glia only after they have largely completed neurogenesis.
Conclusion:
These data establish the major neurogenic role of radial glia in the developing central nervous system and genetically distinguish an early neurogenic Blbp+Glast+hGFAP- stage from a later gliogenic Blbp+Glast+hGFAP+ stage in the ventral telencephalon.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Cell Differentiation / physiology*
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Cell Lineage / genetics
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Cell Lineage / physiology*
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Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 1 / metabolism
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Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7
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Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / metabolism
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Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
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Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
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Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
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Immunohistochemistry / methods
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Mice, Inbred Strains
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Mice, Transgenic
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
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Neurogenesis / physiology*
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Neuroglia / cytology
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Neuroglia / physiology*
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Neurons / cytology
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Neurons / physiology*
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Telencephalon / anatomy & histology
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Telencephalon / growth & development*
Substances
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Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 1
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Fabp7 protein, mouse
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Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7
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Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins
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Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Slc1a3 protein, mouse
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enhanced green fluorescent protein
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glial fibrillary astrocytic protein, mouse
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Green Fluorescent Proteins