Mouse cortical cellular diversification through lineage progression of radial glia

Cortical radial glia (RGs) sequentially generate pyramidal neurons (PyNs) and glia. In this study, we investigated the cell-intrinsic programs underlying cortical cellular diversification using time-series scRNA-seq and snATAC-seq on purified mouse cortical progenitors across embryonic and postnatal stages. Our data revealed that RGs transition from early to late over time, sequentially producing intermediate neuronal progenitors (INPs) and intermediate glial progenitors (IGPs). Although INPs expand exclusively to generate PyNs, IGPs progress from young to old, sequentially producing cortical astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and olfactory bulb interneurons. We constructed comprehensive molecular maps that reflect cell lineage progression. In particular, we found that chromatin accessibility drives cortical cellular diversification by restricting broadly expressed transcription factors to specific stages and cell types. Developmental changes in chromatin accessibility confine Lhx2-induced neurogenesis to early-stage RGs, leading to the loss of neurogenic competence and the acquisition of gliogenic competence as corticogenesis progresses.