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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2025

Live Imaging of Primary Cerebral Cortex Cells Using a 2D Culture System

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Published on: August 9, 2017

Development and evolution of the primate neocortex from a progenitor cell perspective.

Colette Dehay¹, Wieland B Huttner²

¹Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, F-69500 Bron, France.

Development (Cambridge, England)

|February 19, 2024

Summary

Evolutionary increases in primate neocortex size, particularly upper-layer neurons, are linked to outer subventricular zone progenitor expansion. Human-specific genetic changes in these progenitors may explain cognitive differences from Neanderthals.

Keywords:

Cortical development Evolution Human Primate

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Last Updated: Jul 2, 2025

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Area of Science:

Developmental biology
Evolutionary biology
Neuroscience

Background:

Neocortex size is determined by neuron generation, with primate evolution showing increased upper-layer neurons linked to cognitive gains.
The outer subventricular zone (OSVZ) is crucial for primate neocortical neurogenesis.

Approach:

Review of evolutionary changes in apical progenitors within the ventricular zone.
Focus on the OSVZ and its stem cell, basal (outer) radial glia.
Analysis of primate-specific and human-specific genes in OSVZ progenitors.

Key Points:

The OSVZ and basal radial glia are central to primate neocortical development.
Primate-specific genes in OSVZ progenitors amplify neuron numbers by regulating cell cycle.
Human-specific genetic alterations in cortical progenitors may differentiate human and Neanderthal neocortical development.

Conclusions:

Evolutionary expansion of upper-layer neurons in primates is driven by OSVZ progenitor amplification.
Human-specific genetic changes in neural progenitors offer insights into cognitive evolution and differences from Neanderthals.