The Extracellular Matrix in the Evolution of Cortical Development and Folding

Area of Science:

• Developmental biology
• Evolutionary biology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Mammalian cerebral cortex evolution involved sophisticated developmental mechanisms.
• Progenitor cell proliferation and neuronal migration are key to neocortical development.
• The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides structural support and signaling cues influencing cell behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review advances in understanding the role of ECM molecules in neocortex development.
• To explore how ECM contributes to cerebral cortex expansion and folding.
• To discuss the evolutionary significance of ECM in mammalian brain evolution.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent literature on ECM in neocortical development.
• Analysis of transcriptomic studies in human, ferret, and mouse.
• Examination of functional studies on ECM components' roles.

Main Results:

• Transcriptomic data identify ECM components as key players in cortex expansion.
• ECM components regulate cortical progenitor proliferation and neuron migration.
• ECM influences the mechanical properties of the developing cortex.

Conclusions:

• ECM molecules are fundamental to cerebral cortex expansion and folding.
• Differences in ECM components and expression correlate with brain folding patterns (lissencephaly vs. gyrencephaly).
• Molecular evolution of ECM is critical for the emergence of cortex folding in mammals.