FGFs: Neurodevelopment's Jack-of-all-Trades - How Do They Do it?

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Neuroscience
• Cell Signaling

Background:

• Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are extensively documented for their roles in neural precursor cell biology from neurulation to postnatal development.
• The precise mechanisms by which FGF signaling dictates diverse cellular outcomes, such as cell fate specification versus proliferation, remain largely unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the multifaceted roles of FGF signaling in vertebrate neural development, including neurulation, neural plate patterning, brain regionalization, and neocortex development.
• To explore potential explanations for the diverse functions of FGFs, focusing on interactions with intrinsic and extrinsic cellular factors and the modulation of FGF signaling in vivo.

Main Methods:

• Review of in vivo vertebrate studies focusing on FGF signaling.
• Analysis of FGF roles in key developmental processes: neurulation, anterior-posterior patterning, brain patterning, and neocortex development.

Main Results:

• FGF signaling is essential throughout neural development, influencing processes from initial patterning to complex structures like the neocortex.
• Diverse functions of FGFs (e.g., cell specification, survival, proliferation, differentiation) are observed depending on context.
• Significant gaps exist in understanding the in vivo modulation of FGF signaling and its downstream effects.

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive understanding of FGF signaling mechanisms is critical for elucidating neural precursor cell behavior.
• Further research into FGF signaling modulation is necessary to potentially guide neural cell fates for therapeutic applications.