biostudies-literatureQiu RNational Cancer InstituteNCI NIH HHSNINDS NIH HHSNational Institutes of Health3030-3043https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7197076biostudies-literatureUnknown30(5)Balanced proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) are critical for brain development, but how the process is regulated and what components of the cell division machinery is involved are not well understood. Here we report that SEPT7, a cell division regulator originally identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, interacts with KIF20A in the intercellular bridge of dividing NPCs and plays an essential role in maintaining the proliferative state of NPCs during cortical development. Knockdown of SEPT7 in NPCs results in displacement of KIF20A from the midbody and early neuronal differentiation. NPC-specific inducible knockout of Sept7 causes early cell cycle exit, precocious neuronal differentiation, and ventriculomegaly in the cortex, but surprisingly does not lead toCerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)SEPT7 Interacts with KIF20A and Regulates the Proliferative State of Neural Progenitor Cells During Cortical Development.PMC7197076NS096130P30 CA033572R01 NS096130P30CA033572Gaestel MGeng ALiu JMenon MBQiu RXu CWRunxiang QLu QfalseSEPT7 Interacts with KIF20A and Regulates the Proliferative State of Neural Progenitor Cells During Cortical Development.Balanced proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) are critical for brain development, but how the process is regulated and what components of the cell division machinery is involved are not well understood. Here we report that SEPT7, a cell division regulator originally identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, interacts with KIF20A in the intercellular bridge of dividing NPCs and plays an essential role in maintaining the proliferative state of NPCs during cortical development. Knockdown of SEPT7 in NPCs results in displacement of KIF20A from the midbody and early neuronal differentiation. NPC-specific inducible knockout of Sept7 causes early cell cycle exit, precocious neuronal differentiation, and ventriculomegaly in the cortex, but surprisingly does not lead to2020-01-01T00:00:00Z2020 May2025-04-19T16:15:08.637Z2025-04-19T16:15:08.637ZS-EPMC71970763181399210.1093/cercor/bhz292