In the developing cerebral cortex, the majority of excitatory neurons is born near the ventricle and migrates radially toward the brain surface. Since late-born neurons migrate past their predecessors to reach beneath the marginal zone, the cortical plate is formed in an “inside-out” manner, with later-born neurons lying superficial to earlier-born neurons. Ultimately, the cortex develops into a 6-layered structure.

    In contrast to excitatory neurons, the inhibitory cortical interneurons is generated in the ventral telencephalon (ganglionic eminences) or in the preoptic area and migrate tangentially into the pallium. Interestingly, these interneurons also tend to settle in a birthdate-dependent “inside-out” manner.

    Our group is investigating the mechanisms of the development of the functional cellular community in the cerebral cortex, focusing especially on the following 4 aspects.