Neural stem cells in neocortical development and evolution

Question 1

What are the three types of neural progenitor cells?

Answer 1

NECs: Neuroepithelial cells, that create..
aRG: apical radial glial cells, that create…
BP: Basal progenitors, that create neurons

Question 2

What causes neurons to create a pseudostratified layer?

Answer 2

Interkinetic nuclear migration

Question 3

What progenitor cells create neurons?

Answer 3

basal progenitors; this is both basal intermediate progenitors and basal radial glial cells.

Question 4

How can human specific genes be created?

Answer 4

Enhancer activation
Human-specific splicing
Human-specific amino acid substitution
Human specific de novo genes
Gene duplications

Question 5

What are the two most common causes of human specific genes?

Answer 5

Enhancer activation and gene duplication

Question 6

What are the two mentioned examples of human specific genes caused by gene duplication?

Answer 6

NOTCH2NL (enhancer of notch signalling -> activates hes genes -> progenitor maintenance).
ARHGAP11B (11B) (causes basal progenitor expansion and enlargment and folding of the neocortex)

Question 7

What is the current hypothesis explaining the function of the human specific gene ARHGAP11B (11B)?

Answer 7

The 3/4 TCA cycle hypothesis: 11B regulate the mitochondrial metabolism, so that more metabolites for cell cycle progression are made.