Tissue-Specific Stem Cells

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Emx2 and Foxg1 Inhibit Gliogenesis and Promote Neuronogenesis†‡§

  1. Marco Brancaccio1,
  2. Chiara Pivetta1,
  3. Marilena Granzotto2,
  4. Carol Filippis1,
  5. Antonello Mallamaci1,¶,*

Article first published online: 18 MAY 2010

DOI: 10.1002/stem.443

Issue

STEM CELLS

STEM CELLS

Volume 28, Issue 7, pages 1206–1218, July 2010

Additional Information

How to Cite

Brancaccio, M., Pivetta, C., Granzotto, M., Filippis, C. and Mallamaci, A. (2010), Emx2 and Foxg1 Inhibit Gliogenesis and Promote Neuronogenesis. STEM CELLS, 28: 1206–1218. doi: 10.1002/stem.443

Author Information

  1. 1

    SISSA, Neurobiology Sector, Laboratory of Cerebral Cortex Development, Trieste, Italy

  2. 2

    IRCCS Burlo, Institute for Maternal and Child Health, Laboratory of Immunology, Trieste, Italy

  1. Telephone: +39-040-375-6517; Fax: +39-040-375-6502

*Laboratory of Cerebral Cortex Development - Neurobiology Sector - SISSA, Research Area of Basovizza, Box Q1, Floor 1-34012 Trieste, Italy

  1. †

    Author contributions: M.B.: conception and design, collection and assembly of data, data analysis and interpretation, manuscript writing, final approval of the manuscript; C.P.: collection and assembly of data, final approval of the manuscript; M.G.: collection and assembly of data, final approval of the manuscript; C.F.: collection and assembly of data, final approval of the manuscript; A.M.: conception and design, provision of study material, data analysis and interpretation, manuscript writing, final approval of the manuscript.

  2. ‡

    First published online in STEM CELLSEXPRESS May 18, 2010.

  3. §

    Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 20 JUL 2010
  2. Article first published online: 18 MAY 2010
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 4 MAY 2010
  4. Manuscript Received: 30 NOV 2009

Funded by

  • U.S. provisional. Grant Number: #61/251,446

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Keywords:

  • Cerebral cortex;
  • Emx2;
  • Foxg1;
  • Neural stem cells;
  • Gliogenesis;
  • Neuronogenesis

Abstract

Neural stem cells (NSCs) give rise to all cell types forming the cortex: neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. The transition from the former to the latter ones takes place via lineage-restricted progenitors in a highly regulated way. This process is mastered by large sets of genes, among which some implicated in central nervous system pattern formation. The aim of this study was to disentangle the kinetic and histogenetic roles exerted by two of these genes, Emx2 and Foxg1, in cortico-cerebral precursors. For this purpose, we set up a new integrated in vitro assay design. Embryonic cortical progenitors were transduced with lentiviral vectors driving overexpression of Emx2 and Foxg1 in NSCs and neuronal progenitors. Cells belonging to different neuronogenic and gliogenic compartments were labeled by spectrally distinguishable fluoroproteins driven by cell type-specific promoters and by cell type-specific antibodies and were scored via multiplex cytofluorometry and immunocytofluorescence. A detailed picture of Emx2 and Foxg1 activities in cortico-cerebral histogenesis resulted from this study. Unexpectedly, we found that both genes inhibit gliogenesis and promote neuronogenesis, through distinct mechanisms, and Foxg1 also dramatically stimulates neurite outgrowth. Remarkably, such activities, alone or combined, may be exploited to ameliorate the neuronal output obtainable from neural cultures, for purposes of cell-based brain repair. STEM CELLS 2010;28:1206–1218

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