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Updated: Aug 2, 2026
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Migratory Behavior of Cells Generated in Ganglionic Eminence Cultures
Published on: April 21, 2011
Multipolar migration: the third mode of radial neuronal migration in the developing cerebral cortex
Hidenori Tabata1, Kazunori Nakajima
1Department of Anatomy, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
Summary
Researchers identified a new type of neuronal migration in the developing brain called "multipolar migration." This distinct cellular movement is crucial for cortical development and involves multipolar cells with dynamic processes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Radial neuronal migration is essential for forming the cerebral cortex.
- Two known modes, locomotion and somal translocation, have been described.
- The intermediate zone contains uncharacterized multipolar cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the migration patterns of multipolar cells in the developing cerebral cortex.
- To determine if these cells represent a novel mode of neuronal migration.
Main Methods:
- Observation of multipolar cells expressing neuronal markers.
- Time-lapse analysis of living brain slices.
- Analysis of cell polarity, process extension/retraction, and migration dynamics.
Main Results:
- Multipolar cells exhibit dynamic process extension/retraction without fixed polarity.
- These cells display non-linear migration paths, frequently changing direction and rate.
- A novel migration mode, termed 'multipolar migration,' was identified, differing from locomotion and somal translocation.
Conclusions:
- Multipolar migration is a distinct and significant mode of radial neuronal migration in the developing cortex.
- This finding expands our understanding of cellular choreography during brain development.
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