Citation

Harris J, Tomassy GS, Arlotta P. 2015. Building blocks of the cerebral cortex: from development to the dish. Wiley interdisciplinary reviews. Developmental biology. 4(5):529-44. Pubmed: 25926310 DOI:10.1002/wdev.192

Abstract

Since Ramon y Cajal's examination of the cellular makeup of the cerebral cortex, it has been appreciated that this tissue exhibits some of the greatest degrees of cellular heterogeneity in the entire nervous system. This intricate structure emerges during a well-choreographed developmental process. Here, we review current classifications of the cellular constituents of the cerebral cortex and examine how these building blocks are forged during development. We also look at how basic developmental features underlying cortex formation in vivo have been applied to protocols aimed at generating cortical tissue in vitro.
© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Related Faculty

Photo of Paola Arlotta

Dr. Arlotta is interested in understanding the molecular laws that govern the birth, differentiation and assembly of the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain that controls how we sense, move and think. She integrates developmental and evolutionary knowledge to investigate therapies for brain repair and for modeling neuropsychiatric disease.

Search Menu