Project description:<p>Non-coding regions comprise most of the human genome and harbor a significant fraction of risk alleles for neuropsychiatric diseases, yet their functions remain poorly defined. We created a high-resolution map of non-coding elements involved in human cortical neurogenesis by contrasting chromatin accessibility and gene expression in the germinal zone and cortical plate of the developing cerebral cortex. To obtain a high resolution depiction of chromatin structure and gene expression in developing human fetal cortex, we dissected the post-conception week (PCW) 15-17 human neocortex into two major anatomical divisions to distinguish between proliferating neural progenitors and post mitotic neurons: (1) GZ: the neural progenitor-enriched region encompassing the ventricular zone (VZ), subventricular zone (SVZ), and intermediate zone (IZ) and (2) CP: the neuron-enriched region containing the subplate (SP), cortical plate (CP), and marginal zone (MZ). Tissues were obtained from three independent donors and three to four technical replicates from each tissue were processed for ATAC-seq to define the landscape of accessible chromatin and RNA-seq for genome-wide gene expression profiling.</p>
Project description:This study compares the transcripts bound to BORIS in neural progenitor cells and cells differentiated for 6 days into young neurons We present expression profiles for neural progenitor cells (arrays hybridised in triplicate) and in young neurons (arrays hybridised in duplicate). Immunoprecipitated BORIS-mRNA complexes were used to assess the association of BORIS with target mRNAs in neural progenitor cells and in young neurons (both arrays hybridised in duplicate).
Project description:H3K36me3 (ChIp-ChIp), H3K4me3 (ChIp-ChIp), H3K27me3 (ChIp-ChIp), 5mC (MIRA) and 5hmC (hMeDIP) profiles were analyzed in neural progenitor cells (NPC) and neurons by using Nimblegen Mouse ChIP-chip 2.1M Economy Whole-Genome Tiling - 4 Array Set. In order to compare two different techniques of 5hmC profiling, we performed 5hmC profiling with Hydroxymethyl Collector™ Kit (Active Motif) method and hybridized it on mouse Chr7 fragment (Nimblegen). As an independent experiment, 5hmC profiling was performed by using hMeDIP method and hybridized on mouse Chr7 fragment (Nimblegen). After MIRA enrichment and genome amplification, DNA was hybridized on mouse Chr7 fragment (Nimblegen). Analysis of epigenetic changes during neural differentiation due to comparisson of epigenetic patterns in neural progenitor cells versus neurons.
Project description:During development of the human cerebral cortex, multipotent neural progenitors generate excitatory neurons and glial cells. Investigations of the transcriptome and epigenome have revealed important gene regulatory networks underlying this crucial developmental event. However, the post-transcriptional control of gene expression and protein abundance during human corticogenesis remains poorly understood. We addressed this issue by using a dual reporter cell line to isolate neural progenitors and neurons from the telencephalic brain organoid tissue and performed cell type and developmental stage-specific transcriptome and proteome analysis. Integrating the two datasets revealed temporal modules of gene expression during human corticogenesis, both at RNA and protein level. Our multiomics approach reveals novel posttranscriptional regulatory mechanisms crucial for fidelity of cortical development.
Project description:To understand regulatory function in human neural differentiation, we performed ATAC-seq in human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), in vitro-differentiated neural progenitor cells (NPC) and ganglionic eminence-like (GE) cells, as well as commercially available neural stem cells, GABAergic neurons, and glutamatergic neurons. We also performed circular chromosome conformation capture (4C)-seq on these cells.
Project description:Understanding evolutionary mechanisms underlying expansion and reorganization of the human brain represents an important aspect in analyzing the emergence of cognitive abilities typical of our species. Comparative analyses of neuronal phenotypes in closest living relatives (Pan troglodytes; the common chimpanzee) can shed the light into changes in neuronal morphology compared to the last common ancestor (LCA), opening possibilities for analyses of the timing of their appearance, and the role of evolutionary mechanisms favoring a particular type of information processing in humans. Here, we use induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology to model neural progenitor cell migration and early development of cortical pyramidal neurons in humans and chimpanzees. In addition, we provide morphological characterization of the early stages of neuronal development in human and chimpanzee transplanted cells, and examine the role of developmental mechanisms previously proposed for the evolutionary expansions of the human brain on the early development of pyramidal neurons in the two species. The strategy proposed here lay down the basis for further comparative analysis between human and non-human primates and opens new avenues for understanding cognitive capability and neurological disease susceptibility differences between species. PolyA RNA-Seq profiling of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and neurons differentiated from human and chimpanzee iPSCs.