During development of the nervous system, neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) proliferate to both self-renew and generate progeny that undergoes neuronal differentiation, a process known as neurogenesis. In many organisms, this process is temporally restricted and mostly limited to embryonic and early post-natal development, although adult neurogenesis also takes place in a region-specific and species-specific manner. Over the years, molecular studies have shown that NSPC self-renewal and neuronal differentiation are remarkably controlled by conserved molecular networks driving neurogenesis in organisms as different as flies and mice. At the same time, the neurogenic process is finely regulated by extracellular signals acting in the neurogenic niche environment, which can change substantially in different organisms, or even in different regions or stages within the same organism. Grasping both the shared and the unique mechanisms underlying NSPC function and neuronal differentiation in different contexts may crucially improve our understanding of how environmental stimuli can affect neuronal production in both physiological and pathological conditions.
This Research Topic aims to gain insight into both the fundamental core mechanisms of neurogenesis that are conserved in different model systems and the peculiar functional traits that distinguish different neurogenic niches from each other. Both invertebrate and vertebrate organisms fall within the scope of this Topic, as well as in vitro models (e.g. NSPC and neuroectodermal organoid culture systems). Studies directly comparing neurogenic processes in different contexts are particularly encouraged, but articles focused on a specific context are also welcome as long as they include a comparative discussion of the data with reference to available literature. Although this Research Topic is mainly aimed at the field of developmental neurogenesis, studies on adult neurogenesis will also be considered as long as they are based on a comparative approach.
Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Region-specific mechanisms of NSPC regulation and neuronal differentiation.
• Stage-dependent mechanisms of NSPC regulation and neuronal differentiation.
• Similarities and differences in the mechanisms of NSPC regulation and neuronal differentiation in different model organisms.
• Similarities and differences in the mechanisms of NSPC regulation and neuronal differentiation when comparing in vitro systems with the corresponding in vivo models.
During development of the nervous system, neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) proliferate to both self-renew and generate progeny that undergoes neuronal differentiation, a process known as neurogenesis. In many organisms, this process is temporally restricted and mostly limited to embryonic and early post-natal development, although adult neurogenesis also takes place in a region-specific and species-specific manner. Over the years, molecular studies have shown that NSPC self-renewal and neuronal differentiation are remarkably controlled by conserved molecular networks driving neurogenesis in organisms as different as flies and mice. At the same time, the neurogenic process is finely regulated by extracellular signals acting in the neurogenic niche environment, which can change substantially in different organisms, or even in different regions or stages within the same organism. Grasping both the shared and the unique mechanisms underlying NSPC function and neuronal differentiation in different contexts may crucially improve our understanding of how environmental stimuli can affect neuronal production in both physiological and pathological conditions.
This Research Topic aims to gain insight into both the fundamental core mechanisms of neurogenesis that are conserved in different model systems and the peculiar functional traits that distinguish different neurogenic niches from each other. Both invertebrate and vertebrate organisms fall within the scope of this Topic, as well as in vitro models (e.g. NSPC and neuroectodermal organoid culture systems). Studies directly comparing neurogenic processes in different contexts are particularly encouraged, but articles focused on a specific context are also welcome as long as they include a comparative discussion of the data with reference to available literature. Although this Research Topic is mainly aimed at the field of developmental neurogenesis, studies on adult neurogenesis will also be considered as long as they are based on a comparative approach.
Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Region-specific mechanisms of NSPC regulation and neuronal differentiation.
• Stage-dependent mechanisms of NSPC regulation and neuronal differentiation.
• Similarities and differences in the mechanisms of NSPC regulation and neuronal differentiation in different model organisms.
• Similarities and differences in the mechanisms of NSPC regulation and neuronal differentiation when comparing in vitro systems with the corresponding in vivo models.
