Back to the sources of neuronal diversity

By deciphering the genetic programs of neurons of the cerebral cortex, Swiss and Belgian researchers explain the mechanisms controlling the genesis of the cells of one of the most esse parts

The cortex is a complex brain region that allows us to perceive the world and interact with objects and beings around us. The diversity of the tasks that it can accomplish is reflected by the diversity of the neurons that compose it: several tens of types of cells with distinct functions come together during the development to form the innumerable circuits at the origin of our thoughts and of our actions. These neurons are born in the embryo from progenitor stem cells, which divide and produce these different neurons one after the other. But how do these progenitors manage to generate specific types of neurons in the right place at the right time? By identifying the genetic scenarios at work, researchers from the Universities of Geneva (UNIGE), Lausanne (UNIL) and Li