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Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices
Published on: January 22, 2018
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The Bat as a New Model of Cortical Development
Verónica Martínez-Cerdeño1,2,3, Jasmin Camacho1,2, Jeanelle Ariza1,2
1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA.
Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
|November 15, 2017
Summary
Bats offer new insights into mammalian brain evolution. Their extended neurogenesis period and unique developmental mechanisms provide a novel model for understanding cerebral cortex expansion and folding.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Mammalian cerebral cortex organization is conserved, but tangential expansion varies significantly across species.
- Understanding the mechanisms driving cortical expansion is crucial for evolutionary developmental biology.
Purpose of the Study:
- Introduce the bat Carollia perspicillata as a novel model species for studying mammalian cerebral cortex development.
- Investigate the developmental processes, including neurogenesis, cell identity, and immune cell distribution, in the bat neocortex.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of cortical development in Carollia perspicillata.
- Description of laminar and regional structures, neural precursor cells, and immune cells.
- Identification and characterization of a novel Tbr2+ cell population.
Main Results:
- Carollia perspicillata exhibits a significantly longer cortical neurogenic period compared to mice.
- Unique developmental mechanisms, particularly regarding cell cycle length, guide bat cortical development.
- A novel population of Tbr2+ cells was identified in the developing neocortex.
Conclusions:
- The bat model provides a unique perspective on the evolution of neurogenesis and cerebral cortex expansion.
- Unique mechanisms in bat cortical development offer insights into tangential expansion and gyrification.
- This model aids in understanding the evolutionary pressures shaping mammalian brain complexity.
