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Telencephalic cells take a tangent: non-radial migration in the mammalian forebrain

Nature Neuroscience volume 4, pages 1177–1182 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

During development of the mammalian telencephalon, cells migrate via diverse pathways to reach their final destinations. In the developing neocortex, projection neurons are generated from cells that migrate radially from the underlying ventricular zone. In contrast, subsets of cells that populate the ventral piriform cortex and olfactory bulb reach these sites by migrating long distances. Additionally, it has been recently established that cells migrate tangentially from the ventral ganglionic eminences to the developing cortex. These tangentially migrating cells are a significant source of cortical interneurons and possibly other cell types such as oligodendrocytes. Here we summarize the known routes of migration in the developing telencephalon, with a particular focus on tangential migration. We also review recent genetic and transplantation studies that have given greater insight into the understanding of these processes and the molecular cues that may guide these migrating cells.

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Figure 1: Basic anatomy of the embryonic telencephalon.

Bob Crimi

Figure 2: Major routes of tangential migration.

Bob Crimi

Figure 3: Detailed overview of the known and hypothesized routes of tangential cell migration.

Bob Crimi

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Acknowledgements

We thank members of the Fishell lab for discussions, and N. Gaiano and I. Zohn for reading the manuscript. We also thank H. Wichterle and A. Alvarez-Buylla for helping to guide our thinking about cell migration.

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  1. Developmental Genetics Program and the Department of Cell Biology, The Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University Medical Center, 540 First Avenue, New York, 10016, New York

    Joshua G. Corbin, Susana Nery & Gord Fishell

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Correspondence to Gord Fishell.

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Corbin, J., Nery, S. & Fishell, G. Telencephalic cells take a tangent: non-radial migration in the mammalian forebrain. Nat Neurosci 4 (Suppl 11), 1177–1182 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn749

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