Molecular Layers underlying cytoskeletal remodelling during cortical development

During neural development, the cytoskeleton of newborn neurons is subjected to extensive and dynamic remodelling to facilitate the sequential steps of neurogenesis, cell migration and terminal differentiation. As we begin to elucidate the molecular mechanisms which precipitate these functions, it is clear that while common factors may be required, different configurations of the cytoskeleton prefigure the correct execution of each step, such that we can define cohorts of proteins whose functions are indispensable for the control of neuronal migration but not terminal differentiation. It has also emerged that these combinatorial protein functions are predetermined by regulated gene expression, as well as precise subcellular localisation of their protein products. We present this view in the context of recent striking data on how the cytoskeleton is regulated during the maturation of cortical neurons within the developing brain.