AUTHOR=Costa Marcos R. , Müller Ulrich TITLE=Specification of excitatory neurons in the developing cerebral cortex: progenitor diversity and environmental influences JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience VOLUME=8 YEAR=2015 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fncel.2014.00449 DOI=10.3389/fncel.2014.00449 ISSN=1662-5102 ABSTRACT=

The mature cerebral cortex harbors a heterogeneous population of glutamatergic neurons, organized into a highly intricate histological architecture. Classically, this mixed population of neurons was thought to be generated sequentially from a seemingly homogenous group of progenitors under the influence of external cues. This view, however, has been challenged in the last decade by evidences pointing to the existence of fate-restricted neuronal progenitors in the developing neocortex. Here, we review classical studies using cell transplantation, retroviral labeling and cell culture, as well as new data from genetic fate-mapping analysis, to discuss the lineage relationships between neocortical progenitors and subclasses of excitatory neurons. We also propose a temporal model to conciliate the existence of fate-restricted progenitors alongside multipotent progenitors in the neocortex. Finally, we discuss evidences for a critical period of plasticity among post mitotic excitatory cortical neurons when environmental influences could change neuronal cell fate.