Delta-Notch Signaling: The Long and the Short of a Neuron’s Influence on Progenitor Fates

Abstract

Maintenance of the neural progenitor pool during embryonic development is essential to promote growth of the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS is initially formed by tightly compacted proliferative neuroepithelial cells that later acquire radial glial characteristics and continue to divide at the ventricular (apical) and pial (basal) surface of the neuroepithelium to generate neurons. While neural progenitors such as neuroepithelial cells and apical radial glia form strong connections with their neighbours at the apical and basal surfaces of the neuroepithelium, neurons usually form the mantle layer at the basal surface. This review will discuss the existing evidence that supports a role for neurons, from early stages of differentiation, in promoting progenitor cell fates in the vertebrates CNS, maintaining tissue homeostasis and regulating spatiotemporal patterning of neuronal differentiation through Delta-Notch signalling.

Dynamic Polarization of Rab11a Modulates Crb2a Localization and Impacts Signaling to Regulate Retinal Neurogenesis

“…The role of Notch signaling in regulating the balance between proliferation and cell cycle exit in retina neurogenesis is well-established (Moore and Alexandre, 2020 ). Furthermore, Notch activity correlates with nuclear position: within RPCs, Notch activity increases as the nucleus approaches the apical surface (Del Bene et al, 2008 ).…”

Dynamic spatiotemporal coordination of neural stem cell fate decisions occurs through local feedback in the adult vertebrate brain

“…The mechanism unraveled here is akin to lateral inhibition, well known in developmental systems, where it also frequently involves Notch signaling ( Moore and Alexandre, 2020 ; Sjöqvist and Andersson, 2019 ). Previous work also described Delta-like 1 (DLL1)-mediated feedback from aNSCs and/or aNP equivalents in the SEZ ( Ables et al., 2010 ; Kawaguchi et al., 2013 ), and we extend these findings by highlighting the spatiotemporal relevance of this mechanism in adult NSC niches.…”

Primary Ciliary Signaling in the Skin—Contribution to Wound Healing and Scarring

“…In mammals, there are four different Notch receptors that are activated by ligands belonging to the family of Delta-like and Jagged proteins (Brittan and Wright, 2007). Ligand binding induces cleavage of the intracellular domain, which enters the nucleus and activates transcription of target genes (Moore and Alexandre, 2020). A small amount of evidence has indicated that loss of the key transport proteins Kif3a and IFT88 results in disruption of Notch signaling in cultured keratinocytes and the intact epidermis.…”