The circuitry of the olfactory bulb contains a precise anatomical map that links isofunctional regions within each olfactory bulb. This intrabulbar map forms perinatally and undergoes activity-dependent refinement during the first postnatal weeks. Although this map retains its plasticity throughout adulthood, its organization is remarkably stable despite the addition of millions of new neurons ...

The subgranular zone (SGZ) and subventricular zone (SVZ) are developmental remnants of the germinal regions of the brain, hence they retain the ability to generate neuronal progenitor cells in adult life. Neurogenesis in adult brain has an adaptive function because newly produced neurons can integrate into and modify existing neuronal circuits. In contrast to the SGZ and SVZ, other brain region...

Some mammals and birds independently evolved an enlarged telencephalon. They appear to have done so, at least in part, by developing a thick telencephalic subventricular zone (SVZ). We suggest that this correlation between telencephalic enlargement and SVZ expansion is due to a mechanical constraint acting on the proliferative ventricular zone (VZ). Essentially, we argue that rapid proliferatio...

Cellular compartmentation was studied in the germinal matrices (the primary neuroepithelium and the subventricular zone) of the rat cerebral cortex at successive stages of embryonic development. Three sets of materials were used: methacrylate-embedded brain sections from normal embryos, autoradiograms from embryos labeled with [3H]thymidine, and methacrylate-embedded sections from embryos expos...

Adult neurogenesis persists in the subventricular zone and is decreased in Parkinson disease (PD). The therapeutic potential of neurogenesis in PD requires understanding of mechanisms of 1) neural stem cell generation; 2) their guidance to the lesion site; and 3) the environment that enables neuronal differentiation, survival, and functional integration. We examined the combined intraventricula...

The neuronal diversity of the subplate and developing white matter in the mouse was studied using a variety of neuronal markers. The subplate was first visible in lateral cortical areas at E13, coinciding with the emergence of the cortical plate. During prenatal development, this layer was formed by morphologically heterogeneous neurons, subsets of which were immunoreactive for GABA- and calciu...

For the last 10 years our laboratory has been studying the proliferation, migration and differentiation of neuronal progenitor cells located in the anterior part of the postnatal forebrain subventricular zone (SVZa). SVZa-derived cells possess a number of proliferative characteristics that distinguish them from the other progenitor cells in the central nervous system. This review summarizes our...

The striatum has a central role in many neurobiological processes, yet little is known about the molecular control of its development. Inroads to this subject have been made, due to the discovery of transcription factors, such as the Dlx genes, whose expression patterns suggest that they have a role in striatal development. We report that mice lacking both Dlx-1 and Dlx-2 have a time-dependent ...

We have studied the molecular identity of adult mouse SVZ cells in situ, and after isolation and expansion as neurospheres in vitro. The gene and protein expression patterns of the adult cells have been compared to that of the cells from the lateral ganglionic eminence (LGE), their putative embryonic counterparts. The LGE gives rise to both striatal projection neurons and olfactory bulb interne...

Adult mammalian brains continuously generate new neurons, a phenomenon called adult neurogenesis. Both environmental stimuli and endogenous factors are important regulators of adult neurogenesis. Sleep has an important role in normal brain physiology and its disturbance causes very stressful conditions, which disrupt normal brain physiology. Recently, an influence of sleep in adult neurogenesis...