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

The generation of neurons in the developing neocortex is a major determinant of neocortex size. Crucially, the increase in cortical neuron numbers in the primate lineage, notably in the upper-layer neurons, contributes to increased cognitive abilities. Here, we review major evolutionary changes affecting the apical progenitors in the ventricular zone and focus on the key germinal zone constituting the foundation of neocortical neurogenesis in primates, the outer subventricular zone (OSVZ). We summarize characteristic features of the OSVZ and its key stem cell type, the basal (or outer) radial glia. Next, we concentrate on primate-specific and human-specific genes, expressed in OSVZ-progenitors, the ability of which to amplify these progenitors by targeting the regulation of the cell cycle ultimately underlies the evolutionary increase in upper-layer neurons. Finally, we address likely differences in neocortical development between present-day humans and Neanderthals that are based on human-specific amino acid substitutions in proteins operating in cortical progenitors.

Unique Features of Subcortical Circuits in a Macaque Model of Congenital Blindness.

There is an extensive modification of the functional organization of the brain in the congenital blind human, although there is little understanding of the structural underpinnings of these changes. The visual system of macaque has been extensively characterized both anatomically and functionally. We have taken advantage of this to examine the influence of congenital blindness in a macaque model of developmental anophthalmia. Developmental anophthalmia in macaque effectively removes the normal influence of the thalamus on cortical development leading to an induced "hybrid cortex (HC)" combining features of primary visual and extrastriate cortex. Here we show that retrograde tracers injected in early visual areas, including HC, reveal a drastic reduction of cortical projections of the reduced lateral geniculate nucleus. In addition, there is an important expansion of projections from the pulvinar complex to the HC, compared to the controls. These findings show that the functional consequences of congenital blindness need to be considered in terms of both modifications of the interareal cortical network and the ascending visual pathways.

Refinement of the Primate Corticospinal Pathway During Prenatal Development.

Perturbation of the developmental refinement of the corticospinal (CS) pathway leads to motor disorders. While non-primate developmental refinement is well documented, in primates invasive investigations of the developing CS pathway have been confined to neonatal and postnatal stages when refinement is relatively modest. Here, we investigated the developmental changes in the distribution of CS projection neurons in cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis). Injections of retrograde tracer at cervical levels of the spinal cord at embryonic day (E) 95 and E105 show that: (i) areal distribution of back-labeled neurons is more extensive than in the neonate and dense labeling is found in prefrontal, limbic, temporal, and occipital cortex; (ii) distributions of contralateral and ipsilateral projecting CS neurons are comparable in terms of location and numbers of labeled neurons, in contrast to the adult where the contralateral projection is an order of magnitude higher than the ipsilateral projection. Findings from one largely restricted injection suggest a hitherto unsuspected early innervation of the gray matter. In the fetus there was in addition dense labeling in the central nucleus of the amygdala, the hypothalamus, the subthalamic nucleus, and the adjacent region of the zona incerta, subcortical structures with only minor projections in the adult control.

The logistics of afferent cortical specification in mice and men.

The mechanisms shaping areal specification in the neocortex have been the focus of a sustained interest over the past three decades. Studies in rodents have provided insight in the interplay between intrinsic genetic mechanisms and extrinsic inputs relayed to the cortex by thalamocortical axons. Here we focus on the exploration of the developing primate visual system which points to embryonic thalamic axons exerting a profound, early instructive role on arealisation in the primate cortex, via an influence on cortical progenitor cell-cycle and mode of division.

Adhesive Sponge Based on Supramolecular Dimer Interactions as Scaffolds for Neural Stem Cells.

Improving cell-material interactions of nonadhesive scaffolds is crucial for the success of biomaterials in tissue engineering. Due to their high surface area and open pore structure, sponges are widely reported as absorbent materials for biomedical engineering. The biocompatibility and biodegradability of polysaccharide sponges, coupled with the chemical functionalities of supramolecular dimers, make them promising combinations for the development of adhesive scaffolds. Here, a supramolecular tactic based on (UPy)-modified polysaccharide associated with three-dimensional structure of sponges was developed to reach enhanced cellular adhesion. For this purpose, three approaches were examined individually in order to accomplish this goal. In the first approach, the backbone polysaccharides with noncell adhesive properties were modified via a modular tactic using UPy-dimers. Hereupon, the physical-chemical characterizations of the supramolecular sponges were performed, showing that the presence of supramolecular dimers improved their mechanical properties and induced different architectures. In addition, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements and rheology experiments revealed that the UPy-dimers into agarose backbone are able to reorganize in thinning aggregates. It is also demonstrated that the resulted UPy-agarose (AGA-UPy) motifs in surfaces can promote cell adhesion. Finally, the last approach showed the great potential for use of this novel material in bioadhesive scaffolds indicating that neural stem cells show a spreading bias in soft materials and that cell adhesion was enhanced for all UPy-modified sponges compared to the reference, i.e. unmodified sponges. Therefore, by functionalizing sponge surfaces with UPy-dimers, an adhesive supramolecular scaffold is built which opens the opportunity its use neural tissues regeneration.

How Areal Specification Shapes the Local and Interareal Circuits in a Macaque Model of Congenital Blindness.

There is little understanding of the structural underpinnings of the functional reorganization of the cortex in the congenitally blind human. Taking advantage of the extensive characterization of the macaque visual system, we examine in macaque the influence of congenital blindness resulting from the removal of the retina during in utero development. This effectively removes the normal influence of the thalamus on cortical development leading to an induced hybrid cortex (HC) combining features of primary visual and extrastriate cortex. Retrograde tracers injected in HC reveal a local, intrinsic connectivity characteristic of higher order areas and show that the HC receives a uniquely strong, purely feedforward projection from striate cortex but no ectopic inputs, except from subiculum, and entorhinal cortex. Statistical modeling of quantitative connectivity data shows that HC is relatively high in the cortical hierarchy and receives a reinforced input from ventral stream areas while the overall organization of the functional streams are conserved. The directed and weighted anophthalmic cortical graph from the present study can be used to construct dynamic and structural models. These findings show how the sensory periphery governs cortical phenotype and reveal the importance of developmental arealization for understanding the functional reorganization in congenital blindness.

Subtype-Specific Genes that Characterize Subpopulations of Callosal Projection Neurons in Mouse Identify Molecularly Homologous Populations in Macaque Cortex.

Callosal projection neurons (CPN) interconnect the neocortical hemispheres via the corpus callosum and are implicated in associative integration of multimodal information. CPN have undergone differential evolutionary elaboration, leading to increased diversity of cortical neurons-and more extensive and varied connections in neocortical gray and white matter-in primates compared with rodents. In mouse, distinct sets of genes are enriched in discrete subpopulations of CPN, indicating the molecular diversity of rodent CPN. Elements of rodent CPN functional and organizational diversity might thus be present in the further elaborated primate cortex. We address the hypothesis that genes controlling mouse CPN subtype diversity might reflect molecular patterns shared among mammals that arose prior to the divergence of rodents and primates. We find that, while early expression of the examined CPN-enriched genes, and postmigratory expression of these CPN-enriched genes in deep layers are highly conserved (e.g., Ptn, Nnmt, Cited2, Dkk3), in contrast, the examined genes expressed by superficial layer CPN show more variable levels of conservation (e.g., EphA3, Chn2). These results suggest that there has been evolutionarily differential retraction and elaboration of superficial layer CPN subpopulations between mouse and macaque, with independent derivation of novel populations in primates. Together, these data inform future studies regarding CPN subpopulations that are unique to primates and rodents, and indicate putative evolutionary relationships.

Zac1 Regulates the Differentiation and Migration of Neocortical Neurons via Pac1.

Imprinted genes are dosage sensitive, and their dysregulated expression is linked to disorders of growth and proliferation, including fetal and postnatal growth restriction. Common sequelae of growth disorders include neurodevelopmental defects, some of which are indirectly related to placental insufficiency. However, several growth-associated imprinted genes are also expressed in the embryonic CNS, in which their aberrant expression may more directly affect neurodevelopment. To test whether growth-associated genes influence neural lineage progression, we focused on the maternally imprinted gene Zac1. In humans, either loss or gain of ZAC1 expression is associated with reduced growth rates and intellectual disability. To test whether increased Zac1 expression directly perturbs neurodevelopment, we misexpressed Zac1 in murine neocortical progenitors. The effects were striking: Zac1 delayed the transition of apical radial glial cells to basal intermediate neuronal progenitors and postponed their subsequent differentiation into neurons. Zac1 misexpression also blocked neuronal migration, with Zac1-overexpressing neurons pausing more frequently and forming fewer neurite branches during the period when locomoting neurons undergo dynamic morphological transitions. Similar, albeit less striking, neuronal migration and morphological defects were observed on Zac1 knockdown, indicating that Zac1 levels must be regulated precisely. Finally, Zac1 controlled neuronal migration by regulating Pac1 transcription, a receptor for the neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP). Pac1 and Zac1 loss- and gain-of-function presented as phenocopies, and overexpression of Pac1 rescued the Zac1 knockdown neuronal migration phenotype. Thus, dysregulated Zac1 expression has striking consequences on neocortical development, suggesting that misexpression of this transcription factor in the brain in certain growth disorders may contribute to neurocognitive deficits. Significance statement: Altered expression of imprinted genes is linked to cognitive dysfunction and neuropsychological disorders, such as Angelman and Prader-Willi syndromes, and autism spectrum disorder. Mouse models have also revealed the importance of imprinting for brain development, with chimeras generated with parthenogenetic (two maternal chromosomes) or androgenetic (two paternal chromosomes) cells displaying altered brain sizes and cellular defects. Despite these striking phenotypes, only a handful of imprinted genes are known or suspected to regulate brain development (e.g., Dlk1, Peg3, Ube3a, necdin, and Grb10). Herein we show that the maternally imprinted gene Zac1 is a critical regulator of neocortical development. Our studies are relevant because loss of 6q24 maternal imprinting in humans results in elevated ZAC1 expression, which has been associated with neurocognitive defects.

Development of Bioresorbable Hydrophilic-Hydrophobic Electrospun Scaffolds for Neural Tissue Engineering.

In this study, electrospun fiber scaffolds based on biodegradable and bioabsorbable polymers and showing a similar structure to that of the extracellular matrix (ECM) present in the neural tissues were prepared. The effects of electrospun-based scaffolds processed from poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/poly(lactide-b-ethylene glycol-b-lactide) block copolymer (PELA) and PLA/polyethylene glycol (PEG) (50:50 by wt) blends on the morphology, wettability, and mechanical properties, as well as on neural stem cell (NSC) behavior, were investigated. Thus, PLA/PELA and PLA/PEG fiber mats composed of PEG with different chain lengths were evaluated for optimal use as tissue engineering scaffolds. In both cases, the hydrophilic character of the scaffold surface was increased from the introduction of PEG homopolymer or PEG-based block copolymer compared with neat PLA. A microphase separation and a surface erosion of PLA/PEG blend-based electrospun fibers were highlighted, whereas PLA/PELA blend-based fibers displayed a moderate hydrophilic surface and a tunable balance between surface erosion and bulk degradation. Even if the mechanical properties of PLA fibers containing PEG or PELA decreased slightly, an excellent compromise between stiffness and the ability to sustain large deformation was found for PLA/PELA(2k), which displayed a significant increase in strain at break, that is, up to 500%. Our results suggest that both neat PLA and PLA/PELA blends supplemented with growth factors may mimic neural-like constructs and provide structural stability. Nonetheless, electrospun PLA/PELA blends have a suitable surface property, which may act synergistically in the modulation of biopotential for implantable scaffolding in neural tissue engineering.

The role of long-range connections on the specificity of the macaque interareal cortical network.

We investigated the influence of interareal distance on connectivity patterns in a database obtained from the injection of retrograde tracers in 29 areas distributed over six regions (occipital, temporal, parietal, frontal, prefrontal, and limbic). One-third of the 1,615 pathways projecting to the 29 target areas were reported only recently and deemed new-found projections (NFPs). NFPs are predominantly long-range, low-weight connections. A minimum dominating set analysis (a graph theoretic measure) shows that NFPs play a major role in globalizing input to small groups of areas. Randomization tests show that (i) NFPs make important contributions to the specificity of the connectivity profile of individual cortical areas, and (ii) NFPs share key properties with known connections at the same distance. We developed a similarity index, which shows that intraregion similarity is high, whereas the interregion similarity declines with distance. For area pairs, there is a steep decline with distance in the similarity and probability of being connected. Nevertheless, the present findings reveal an unexpected binary specificity despite the high density (66%) of the cortical graph. This specificity is made possible because connections are largely concentrated over short distances. These findings emphasize the importance of long-distance connections in the connectivity profile of an area. We demonstrate that long-distance connections are particularly prevalent for prefrontal areas, where they may play a prominent role in large-scale communication and information integration.

From fossils to mind.

Fossil endocasts record features of brains from the past: size, shape, vasculature, and gyrification. These data, alongside experimental and comparative evidence, are needed to resolve questions about brain energetics, cognitive specializations, and developmental plasticity. Through the application of interdisciplinary techniques to the fossil record, paleoneurology has been leading major innovations. Neuroimaging is shedding light on fossil brain organization and behaviors. Inferences about the development and physiology of the brains of extinct species can be experimentally investigated through brain organoids and transgenic models based on ancient DNA. Phylogenetic comparative methods integrate data across species and associate genotypes to phenotypes, and brains to behaviors. Meanwhile, fossil and archeological discoveries continuously contribute new knowledge. Through cooperation, the scientific community can accelerate knowledge acquisition. Sharing digitized museum collections improves the availability of rare fossils and artifacts. Comparative neuroanatomical data are available through online databases, along with tools for their measurement and analysis. In the context of these advances, the paleoneurological record provides ample opportunity for future research. Biomedical and ecological sciences can benefit from paleoneurology's approach to understanding the mind as well as its novel research pipelines that establish connections between neuroanatomy, genes and behavior.

An RNA gene expressed during cortical development evolved rapidly in humans.

The developmental and evolutionary mechanisms behind the emergence of human-specific brain features remain largely unknown. However, the recent ability to compare our genome to that of our closest relative, the chimpanzee, provides new avenues to link genetic and phenotypic changes in the evolution of the human brain. We devised a ranking of regions in the human genome that show significant evolutionary acceleration. Here we report that the most dramatic of these 'human accelerated regions', HAR1, is part of a novel RNA gene (HAR1F) that is expressed specifically in Cajal-Retzius neurons in the developing human neocortex from 7 to 19 gestational weeks, a crucial period for cortical neuron specification and migration. HAR1F is co-expressed with reelin, a product of Cajal-Retzius neurons that is of fundamental importance in specifying the six-layer structure of the human cortex. HAR1 and the other human accelerated regions provide new candidates in the search for uniquely human biology.

Forced G1-phase reduction alters mode of division, neuron number, and laminar phenotype in the cerebral cortex.

The link between cortical precursors G1 duration (TG1) and their mode of division remains a major unresolved issue of potential importance for regulating corticogenesis. Here, we induced a 25% reduction in TG1 in mouse cortical precursors via forced expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin E1. We found that in utero electroporation-mediated gene transfer transfects a cohort of synchronously cycling precursors, necessitating alternative methods of measuring cell-cycle phases to those classical used. TG1 reduction promotes cell-cycle reentry at the expense of differentiation and increases the self-renewal capacities of Pax6 precursors as well as of Tbr2 basal precursors (BPs). A population level analysis reveals sequential and lineage-specific effects, showing that TG1 reduction: (i) promotes Pax6 self-renewing proliferative divisions before promoting divisions wherein Pax6 precursors generate Tbr2 BPs and (ii) promotes self-renewing proliferative divisions of Tbr2 precursors at the expense of neurogenesis, thus leading to an amplification of the BPs pool in the subventricular zone and the dispersed mitotic compartment of the intermediate zone. These results point to the G1 mode of division relationship as an essential control mechanism of corticogenesis. This is further supported by long-term studies showing that TG1 reduction results in cytoarchitectural modifications including supernumerary supragranular neuron production. Modeling confirms that the TG1-induced changes in neuron production and laminar fate are mediated via the changes in the mode of division. These findings also have implications for understanding the mechanisms that have contributed to brain enlargement and complexity during evolution.

Embryonic stem cells in non-human primates: An overview of neural differentiation potential.

Non-human primate (NHP) embryonic stem (ES) cells show unlimited proliferative capacities and a great potential to generate multiple cell lineages. These properties make them an ideal resource both for investigating early developmental processes and for assessing their therapeutic potential in numerous models of degenerative diseases. They share the same markers and the same properties with human ES cells, and thus provide an invaluable transitional model that can be used to address the safety issues related to the clinical use of human ES cells. Here, we review the available information on the derivation and the specific features of monkey ES cells. We comment on the capacity of primate ES cells to differentiate into neural lineages and the current protocols to generate self-renewing neural stem cells. We also highlight the signalling pathways involved in the maintenance of these neural cell types. Finally, we discuss the potential of monkey ES cells for neuronal differentiation.

Induced Cognitive Impairments Reversed by Grafts of Neural Precursors: A Longitudinal Study in a Macaque Model of Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) evolves over an extended and variable period in humans; years prior to the onset of classical motor symptoms, sleep and biological rhythm disorders develop, significantly impacting the quality-of-life of patients. Circadian-rhythm disorders are accompanied by mild cognitive deficits that progressively worsen with disease progression and can constitute a severe burden for patients at later stages. The gold-standard 6-methyl-1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridin (MPTP) macaque model of PD recapitulates the progression of motor and nonmotor symptoms over contracted periods of time. Here, this multidisciplinary/multiparametric study follows, in five animals, the steady progression of motor and nonmotor symptoms and describes their reversal following grafts of neural precursors in diverse functional domains of the basal ganglia. Results show unprecedented recovery from cognitive symptoms in addition to a strong clinical motor recuperation. Both motor and cognitive recovery and partial circadian rhythm recovery correlate with the degree of graft integration, and in a subset of animals, with in vivo levels of striatal dopaminergic innervation and function. The present study provides empirical evidence that integration of neural precursors following transplantation efficiently restores function at multiple levels in parkinsonian nonhuman primates and, given interindividuality of disease progression and recovery, underlines the importance of longitudinal multidisciplinary assessments in view of clinical translation.

Differential expression of LIM-homeodomain factors in Cajal-Retzius cells of primates, rodents, and birds.

Reelin-expressing Cajal-Retzius (CR) cells are among the earliest generated cells in the mammalian cerebral cortex and are believed to be crucial for both the development and the evolution of a laminated pattern in the pallial wall of the telencephalon. LIM-homeodomain (LIM-hd) transcription factors are expressed during brain development in a highly restricted and combinatorial manner, and they specify regional and cellular identity. We have investigated the expression of the LIM-hd members Lhx1/Lhx2/Lhx5/Lhx6/Lhx9 in the reelin-expressing cells, the pallium, and the regions of origin of CR cells including the cortical hem of 3 amniote species: the mouse, the chick, and the macaque monkey. We found major differences in the combinatorial LIM-hd expression in the marginal zone as well as in the hem. 1) Lhx5 is a "preferential LIM-hd" for CR cells in mammals but not expressed by these cells in chicks. 2) Lhx2 is expressed in the hem of the chick, whereas it is excluded from this region in mouse. 3) Whereas mouse CR cells express Lhx5/Lhx1, their monkey counterparts express 4 of these factors: Lhx1/Lhx2/Lhx5/Lhx9. We discuss our findings in evolutionary terms for the specification of the midline hem and CR cell type and the emergence of the cortical lamination pattern.

Determinants of primate neurogenesis and the deployment of top-down generative networks in the cortical hierarchy.

What I cannot create I do not understand - Richard Feynman 1978 Because primate cortical development exhibits numerous specific features, the mouse is an imperfect model for human cortical development. Expansion of supragranular neurons is an evolutionary feature characterizing the primate cortex. Increased production of supragranular neurons is supported by a germinal zone innovation of the primate cortex: the Outer SubVentricular Zone, which along with supragranular neurons constitute privileged targets of primate brain-specific gene evolution. The resulting cell-type diversity of human supragranular neurons link cell and molecular evolutionary changes in progenitors with the emergence of distinctive architectural features in the primate cortex. We propose that these changes are required for the expansion of the primate cortical hierarchy deploying top-down generative networks with potentially important consequences for the neurobiology of human psychiatric disorders.

Apoptosis, G1 Phase Stall, and Premature Differentiation Account for Low Chimeric Competence of Human and Rhesus Monkey Naive Pluripotent Stem Cells.

After reprogramming to naive pluripotency, human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) still exhibit very low ability to make interspecies chimeras. Whether this is because they are inherently devoid of the attributes of chimeric competency or because naive PSCs cannot colonize embryos from distant species remains to be elucidated. Here, we have used different types of mouse, human, and rhesus monkey naive PSCs and analyzed their ability to colonize rabbit and cynomolgus monkey embryos. Mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) remained mitotically active and efficiently colonized host embryos. In contrast, primate naive PSCs colonized host embryos with much lower efficiency. Unlike mouse ESCs, they slowed DNA replication after dissociation and, after injection into host embryos, they stalled in the G1 phase and differentiated prematurely, regardless of host species. We conclude that human and non-human primate naive PSCs do not efficiently make chimeras because they are inherently unfit to remain mitotically active during colonization.

Proneural genes define ground-state rules to regulate neurogenic patterning and cortical folding.

Asymmetric neuronal expansion is thought to drive evolutionary transitions between lissencephalic and gyrencephalic cerebral cortices. We report that Neurog2 and Ascl1 proneural genes together sustain neurogenic continuity and lissencephaly in rodent cortices. Using transgenic reporter mice and human cerebral organoids, we found that Neurog2 and Ascl1 expression defines a continuum of four lineage-biased neural progenitor cell (NPC) pools. Double+ NPCs, at the hierarchical apex, are least lineage restricted due to Neurog2-Ascl1 cross-repression and display unique features of multipotency (more open chromatin, complex gene regulatory network, G2 pausing). Strikingly, selectively eliminating double+ NPCs by crossing Neurog2-Ascl1 split-Cre mice with diphtheria toxin-dependent "deleter" strains locally disrupts Notch signaling, perturbs neurogenic symmetry, and triggers cortical folding. In support of our discovery that double+ NPCs are Notch-ligand-expressing "niche" cells that control neurogenic periodicity and cortical folding, NEUROG2, ASCL1, and HES1 transcript distribution is modular (adjacent high/low zones) in gyrencephalic macaque cortices, prefiguring future folds.

Radial Migration Dynamics Is Modulated in a Laminar and Area-Specific Manner During Primate Corticogenesis.

The orderly radial migration of cortical neurons from their birthplace in the germinal zones to their final destination in the cortical plate is a prerequisite for the functional assembly of microcircuits in the neocortex. Rodent and primate corticogenesis differ both quantitatively and qualitatively, particularly with respect to the generation of neurons of the supragranular layers. Marked area differences in the outer subventricular zone progenitor cell density impact the radial glia scaffold compactness which is likely to induce area differences in radial migration strategy. Here, we describe specific features of radial migration in the non-human primate, including the absence of the premigratory multipolar stage found in rodents. Ex vivo approaches in the embryonic macaque monkey visual cortex, show that migrating neurons destined for supragranular and infragranular layers exhibit significant differences in morphology and velocity. Migrating neurons destined for the supragranular layers show a more complex bipolar morphology and higher motility rates than do infragranular neurons. There are area differences in the gross morphology and membrane growth behavior of the tip of the leading process. In the subplate compartment migrating neurons destined for the supragranular layers of presumptive area 17 exhibit radial constrained trajectories and leading processes with filopodia, which contrast with the meandering trajectories and leading processes capped by lamellipodia observed in the migrating neurons destined for presumptive area 18. Together these results present evidence that migrating neurons may exhibit autonomy and in addition show marked area-specific differences. We hypothesize that the low motility and high radial trajectory of area 17 migrating neurons contribute to the unique structural features of this area.