[Control of neural cell migration during the development of the central nervous system]

During the embryonic development, neurons migrate from their origin to their final position. Control of neuronal migrations is critical for formation of the complex architecture of the central nervous system. In the developing central nervous system, there are two major patterns of neuronal migrations. One is radial migration and the other is tangential migration. In radial migration, migrating cells move along radial fibers that are processes of radial glial cells. Contact between radial glial cells and migrating cells has been supposed to control radial migration. In tangential migration, some tracts of neuronal migrations are controlled by chemokines. Neuronal migration utilizes its own migratory strategies, such as cell-cell contact with radial glial cells as well as common principles of cell migration like chemoattractants. As cell migrations reflect cytoskeletal changes in the cells, external cues like chemoattractants and cell adhesion finally influence the structure of cytoskeleton in migrating neurons. We summarize previous studies on cell migration and discuss specific mechanisms of neural migration in this review.