The neocortex is the region of the cerebral cortex responsible for higher level cognitive functions, forming about 85% of the human brain. On p. 337, Palma and Ruiz i Altaba report that, during mouse development, endogenous Sonic hedgehog(SHH) signalling regulates the numbers of stem and precursor cells in the neocortex, and hence its ultimate size. The researchers show that SHH is required for the normal proliferation and self-renewal of neocortical neurospheres in culture, acting in cooperation with EGF. In vivo, brain phenotypes in Shh, Gli2 and Gli3 mutants - the GLI transcription factors are mediators of hedgehog signalling - are consistent with reduced numbers of neocortical cells with stem cell properties. The researchers speculate that evolutionary changes in SHH signalling may underlie the different brain sizes and shapes that we see today.
The Company of Biologists Workshops
For the last 15 years, our publisher, The Company of Biologists, has provided an apt environment to inspire biology and support biologists through our Workshops series. Read about the evolution of the Workshop series and revisit JEB's experience with hosting the first Global South Workshop.
Call for papers – Lifelong Development: the Maintenance, Regeneration and Plasticity of Tissues
Development invites you to submit your latest research to our upcoming special issue – Lifelong Development: the Maintenance, Regeneration and Plasticity of Tissues. This issue will be coordinated by Guest Editors Meritxell Huch (Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Germany) and Mansi Srivastava (Harvard University and Museum of Comparative Zoology, USA), working alongside our team of academic Editors. Submit your articles by 30 May 2025.
Meet our 2025 Pathway to Independence (PI) fellows
We are delighted to announce our third cohort of PI fellows - researchers whom we will be supporting as they transition from postdoc to Principal Investigator. Read about the eight talented fellows chosen, whom we're excited to be working with as they navigate the job market.
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