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Induction of Leptomeningeal Cells Modification Via Intracisternal Injection
Published on: May 7, 2020
We have got you 'covered': how the meninges control brain development
Julie A Siegenthaler1, Samuel J Pleasure
1Department of Neurology, Programs in Neuroscience and Developmental Biology, Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States.
Current Opinion in Genetics & Development
|January 22, 2011
Summary
The fetal meninges, traditionally seen as protective brain layers, actively guide neural development by releasing factors and organizing the pial basement membrane. Understanding meningeal roles is crucial for congenital brain abnormality research.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Meningeal Development
Background:
- Meninges traditionally protect the adult brain.
- Emerging evidence highlights fetal meninges' crucial role in brain development.
- Meningeal influence on neural progenitor and neuron behavior is increasingly recognized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the assembly of fetal meninges.
- To discuss the role of meningeal-derived proteins in brain development.
- To explore the potential link between meningeal defects and congenital brain abnormalities.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on fetal meninges.
- Analysis of research on meningeal factors influencing neural development.
- Examination of mouse and human brain development studies.
Main Results:
- Fetal meninges release diffusible factors affecting neural progenitor and neuron proliferation and migration.
- Meningeal cells secrete and organize the pial basement membrane, essential for neuroepithelial stem cells.
- Meningeal development is integral to forebrain and hindbrain organization.
Conclusions:
- The fetal meninges are active participants in brain development, not just passive protective layers.
- Meningeal-derived proteins play significant roles in guiding neural development.
- Defects in meningeal development may contribute to congenital human brain abnormalities.
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