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The Role of the Transcription Factor Pax6 in Brain Development and Evolution: Evidence and Hypothesis

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Book cover Cortical Development

Abstract

During mammalian corticogenesis, the dorsal telencephalon is patterned through secreted molecules and transcription factors. Expression of the transcription factor Pax6 demarcates the dorsal telencephalon, thereby patterning the future cortical primordium. Pax6 is also crucial in neurogenesis in the developing cortex through its role in balancing proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs). In this chapter, we address the role of Pax6 and its downstream molecules in cortical development and evolution. We also note the possible involvement of Pax6 in the onset of neurodevelopmental diseases.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Yuji Tsunekawa and Mr. Nobuyuki Sakayori for kindly providing their immunohistochemical data. This work was supported by a grant-in-aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas “Molecular Brain Science” and “Corticogenesis” (to N. O.) from MEXT Japan. T.K. was supported by a Research Fellowship of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science for Young Scientists.

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  1. Division of Developmental Neuroscience, United Centers for Advanced Research and Translational Medicine (ART), Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, 2-1, Seiryo-Machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan

    Noriko Osumi & Takako Kikkawa

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  1. Noriko Osumi
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Correspondence to Noriko Osumi .

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  1. Institute for Virus Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan

    Ryoichiro Kageyama

  2. Division of Brain Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan

    Tetsuo Yamamori

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Osumi, N., Kikkawa, T. (2013). The Role of the Transcription Factor Pax6 in Brain Development and Evolution: Evidence and Hypothesis. In: Kageyama, R., Yamamori, T. (eds) Cortical Development. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54496-8_3

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