Paola Arlotta

TL;DR: Recent data regarding the nature of neocortical progenitors is assessed, the roles of individual genes in projection neuron specification are reviewed and the implications for progenitor plasticity are discussed.

TL;DR: Loss-of-function experiments in null mutant mice for Ctip2 (also known as Bcl11b), one of the newly characterized genes, demonstrate that it plays a critical role in the development of CSMN axonal projections to the spinal cord in vivo, confirming that the central genetic determinants of the CSMN population are identified.

TL;DR: 17 TALEs are synthesized that are customized to recognize specific DNA-binding sites, and it is demonstrated that they can specifically modulate transcription of endogenous genes (SOX2 and KLF4) in human cells.

TL;DR: It is found that organoids can generate a broad diversity of cells, which are related to endogenous classes, including cells from the cerebral cortex and the retina, which may offer a way to probe the functionality of human neuronal circuits using physiological sensory stimuli.

TL;DR: It is demonstrated that lncRNAs play critical roles in vivo and provides a framework and impetus for future larger-scale functional investigation into the roles of lncRNA molecules.