Satb2 mouse as a tool to investigate cell fate determination in the developing neocortex.

Background: Generation of different neuronal subtypes during neocortical development is the most important step in the establishment of cortical cytoarchitecture. The transcription factor Satb2 is expressed in neocortical projection neurons that send their axons intracortically as opposed to Satb2-negative neurons that preferentially project to subcortical targets.

New Method: In this report, we present a novel method to carry out large scale screening for molecules that control cell fate in the developing neocortex.

HECT-type E3 ubiquitin ligases in nerve cell development and synapse physiology.

The development of neurons is precisely controlled. Nerve cells are born from progenitor cells, migrate to their future target sites, extend dendrites and an axon to form synapses, and thus establish neural networks. All these processes are governed by multiple intracellular signaling cascades, among which ubiquitylation has emerged as a potent regulatory principle that determines protein function and turnover.