Prox1 Is required for granule cell maturation and intermediate progenitor maintenance during brain neurogenesis

Alfonso Lavado*, Oleg V. Lagutin, Lionel M L Chow, Suzanne J. Baker, Guillermo Oliver

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

184 Scopus citations

Abstract

The dentate gyrus has an important role in learning and memory, and adult neurogenesis in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus may play a role in the acquisition of new memories. The homeobox gene Prox1 is expressed in the dentate gyrus during embryonic development and adult neurogenesis. Here we show that Prox1 is necessary for the maturation of granule cells in the dentate gyrus during development and for the maintenance of intermediate progenitors during adult neurogenesis. We also demonstrate that Prox1-expressing intermediate progenitors are required for adult neural stem cell self-maintenance in the subgranular zone; thus, we have identified a previously unknown non-cell autonomous regulatory feedback mechanism that controls adult neurogenesis in this region of the mammalian brain. Finally, we show that the ectopic expression of Prox1 induces premature differentiation of neural stem cells.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)43-44
Number of pages2
JournalPLoS biology
Volume8
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2010

Funding

We thank A. McArthur for editing of this manuscript and M. Dillard for technical support. We thank A. Mansouri, A. Stoykova, and J. Berger for the CMV-CAG-loxP-eGFP-Stop-loxP-Ires- βGal construct. L.M.L.C. is a recipient of the Jean-François St.-Denis Fellowship in Cancer Research from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Immunology and Microbiology
  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • General Neuroscience
  • General Agricultural and Biological Sciences

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