How cell-autonomous is neuronal migration in the forebrain? Molecular cross-talk at the cell membrane.

In the adult brain, different cell types communicate with each other through cell-cell contacts and brain activity is regulated at the cell membrane. But long before the brain is fully functional, different excitatory and inhibitory cell types generated at distinct places migrate through the developing brain to their final position. The elements guiding these migrating neurons, either structural axonal scaffolds or chemical guidance factors, are relatively well described. However, the molecules involved in the individual short-timed membrane contacts migrating cells make with other cells during their migration process are less well understood. This update focuses on recent novel insights into the molecular nature of these cell-cell contacts and the cross-talk taking place at the cell membrane.