Guiding Neuronal Cell Migrations

Abstract

Neuronal migration is, along with axon guidance, one of the fundamental mechanisms underlying the wiring of the brain. As other organs, the nervous system has acquired the ability to grow both in size and complexity by using migration as a strategy to position cell types from different origins into specific coordinates, allowing for the generation of brain circuitries. Guidance of migrating neurons shares many features with axon guidance, from the use of substrates to the specific cues regulating chemotaxis. There are, however, important differences in the cell biology of these two processes. The most evident case is nucleokinesis, which is an essential component of migration that needs to be integrated within the guidance of the cell. Perhaps more surprisingly, the cellular mechanisms underlying the response of the leading process of migrating cells to guidance cues might be different to those involved in growth cone steering, at least for some neuronal populations.

Novel and Robust Transplantation Reveals the Acquisition of Polarized Processes by Cortical Cells Derived from Mouse and Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

“…Endogenous neurons generated from neural progenitors in the dorsal cortex migrate toward the cortical plate during development (radial migration) [31]. We tested whether neural cells grafted using the TETCaD method also migrate basally within the host tissue.…”

A balancing Akt: How to fine-tune neuronal migration speed

“…The cell then repeats this series of steps and move forward in a saltatory manner. 7,14,32 Given that centrosome-nucleus coupling is regulated by several genes that are mutated in human neurological diseases, the underlying molecular mechanisms have been studied extensively. For example, Lis1, the product of a gene mutated in lissencephaly, and its associated proteins regulate forward movement of the centrosome away from the nucleus as well as pulling of the nucleus toward the centrosome by cytoplasmic dynein, a motor protein that directs transport toward the minus end of microtubules.…”

“…For example, Lis1, the product of a gene mutated in lissencephaly, and its associated proteins regulate forward movement of the centrosome away from the nucleus as well as pulling of the nucleus toward the centrosome by cytoplasmic dynein, a motor protein that directs transport toward the minus end of microtubules. 7,14,32,49 However, the molecular mechanism underlying centrosome-nucleus coupling is not fully understood.…”

Le cil primaire, orchestrateur de la morphogenèse cérébrale

“…Les interneurones, quant à eux, établissent des microcircuits locaux et produisent en général des neurotransmetteurs inhibiteurs (GABA [acide -aminobutyrique]). Ils ont une origine ventrale (éminence ganglionaire médiane) et parcourent un long chemin par migration tangentielle (5) pour rejoindre le cortex où ils finissent par se positionner dans les différentes couches corticales [64]. Par ailleurs, une part importante du SNC est occupée par des cellules gliales ou parcourue de faisceaux d'axones (corps calleux, striatum, zone intermédiaire, etc.).…”