Figure 1

Domain organisation of ventral neural progenitor cells controls generation of distinct neuronal and glial cell subtypes. (a) Five progenitor domains, p3, pMN, p2, p1 and p0, are established in response to Shh along the ventral to dorsal axis. Progenitor cells in each domain are characterised by the combinatorial expression of transcription factors indicated on the left. (b) Each progenitor pool sequentially generates a specific sub-type of neurons and glial cells. Progenitor cells of the p0, p2 and p3 domains first produce three distinct types of ventral interneurons (V0–V3) and, later on, change their fate to generate ventral astrocytes (A0–A3). Progenitor cells of the pMN domain characterised by Olig2 expression first generate motor neurons (MN) and switches to production of oligodendroglial cells (OL).