Early neuronal and glial fate restriction of embryonic neural stem cells.

Delphine Delaunay (1, 2) , Katharina Heydon (1, 2) , Ana Cumano (3) , Markus H Schwab (4) , Jean-Léon Thomas (1, 2) , Ueli Suter (5) , Klaus-Armin Nave (4) , Bernard Zalc (1, 2) , Nathalie Spassky (1, 2)

1 Biologie des Interactions Neurones / Glie
2 IFR des Neurosciences
3 Développement des Lymphocytes
4 MPI - Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine [Göttingen]
5 Institute of Cell Biology

The question of how neurons and glial cells are generated during the development of the CNS has over time led to two alternative models: either neuroepithelial cells are capable of giving rise to neurons first and to glial cells at a later stage (switching model), or they are intrinsically committed to generate one or the other (segregating model). Using the developing diencephalon as a model and by selecting a subpopulation of ventricular cells, we analyzed both in vitro, using clonal analysis, and in vivo, using inducible Cre/loxP fate mapping, the fate of neuroepithelial and radial glial cells generated at different time points during embryonic development. We found that, during neurogenic periods [embryonic day 9.5 (E9.5) to 12.5], proteolipid protein (plp)-expressing cells were lineage-restricted neuronal precursors, but later in embryogenesis, during gliogenic periods (E13.5 to early postnatal), plp-expressing cells were lineage-restricted glial precursors. In addition, we show that glial cells forming at E13.5 arise from a new pool of neuroepithelial progenitors distinct from neuronal progenitors cells, which lends support to the segregating model.

Domains: Immunology

Delphine Delaunay, Katharina Heydon, Ana Cumano, Markus H Schwab, Jean-Léon Thomas, et al.. Early neuronal and glial fate restriction of embryonic neural stem cells.. Journal of Neuroscience, 2008, 28 (10), pp.2551-62. ⟨10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5497-07.2008⟩. ⟨pasteur-00337684⟩