Microtubule-based nuclear movement occurs independently of centrosome positioning in migrating neurons

During neuronal migration in the developing brain, it is thought that the centrosome precedes the nucleus and provides a cue for nuclear migration along the microtubules. In time-lapse imaging studies of radially migrating granule cells in mouse cerebellar slices, we observed that the movements of the nucleus and centrosome appeared to occur independently of each other. The nucleus often migrated ahead of the centrosome during its saltatory movement, negating the supposed role of the centrosome in pulling the nucleus. The nucleus was associated with dynamic microtubules enveloping the entire nucleus and stable microtubules extending from the leading process to the anterior part of the nucleus. Neither of these perinuclear microtubules converged at the centrosome. Disruption or excess formation of stable microtubules attenuated nuclear migration, indicating that the configuration of stable microtubules is crucial for nuclear migration. The inhibition of LIS1 function, a regulator of a microtubule motor dynein, specifically blocks nuclear migration without affecting the coupling of the centrosome and microtubules in the leading process, suggesting that movements of the nucleus and centrosome are differentially regulated by dynein motor function. Thus, the nucleus moves along the microtubules independently of the position of the centrosome in migrating neurons.