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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Two new studies from UCLA reveal that brain stem cells called radial glia take their developmental cues from both metabolism and physical signals from the thalamus. Together, these findings help explain how the human cortex builds its remarkable variety of cell types — and may shed light on autism, neurodevelopmental disorders, and even brain cancer.
Before birth, the brain is making millions of critical decisions — and UCLA researchers just identified two major forces driving those choices. Two studies published in Cell and Science reveal that radial glia, the brain's earliest stem cells, are guided by both how they process nutrients and physical signals from the thalamus. These findings offer a new window into how the human cortex develops its extraordinary complexity.
In the Cell study, researchers built a detailed metabolic atlas of the developing human cortex and found that glucose metabolism actively shapes what kinds of brain cells are produced. When glucose availability dropped, stem cells shifted toward generating inhibitory neurons — cells that normally appear later in development. Meanwhile, the Science study found that thalamic nerve fibers physically touch radial glia early in development, nudging them to produce more excitatory neurons, especially the upper-layer neurons uniquely expanded in humans.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: Understanding how radial glia make their developmental decisions could unlock new insights into neurodevelopmental conditions like autism, neuropsychiatric disorders, and even brain cancer — where similar stem cell programs reappear under poorly understood circumstances.
