Functional comparative studies of cerebral cortex development using pluripotent stem cells. (360G-Wellcome-097420_Z_11_Z)

The cerebral cortex is the part of the central nervous system essential for higher brain functions such as sensory perception, cognitive function and consciousness. The human cortex is unique in terms of its enlarged surface area, expanded volume and a greatly increased number of cortical neurons. In contrast, the size of the cortex is markedly smaller in a human genetic neurodevelopmental disorder, primary microcephaly. We propose to use stem cell models to investigate the genetic control underlying the increased size and complexity of the human cerebral cortex. Specifically, we will focus our analysis on neural stem/progenitor cells.