Neocortical expansion driven by basal progenitors
The emergence of indirect neurogenesis, driven by highly proliferative basal progenitors, contributed to the significant enlargement of the mammalian neocortex during brain evolution.
In recent years, several human-specific genes and enhancers have been described that differentially affect the biology of progenitor cells and potentially contribute to the increased neocortical complexity and disease-susceptibility of the human brain.
Emerging research is uncovering multiple pathways that disrupt basal progenitor biology, emphasizing these pathways’ involvement not only in classical neurogenesis-related disorders such as microcephaly but also in neurodevelopmental conditions traditionally linked to impairments in neuronal connectivity.
https://www.cell.com/trends/neurosciences/fulltext/S0166-2236(25)00264-4
