UC Santa Cruz

Radial glial cells (RGCs) are multipotent progenitors that give rise to excitatory projection neurons, OB interneurons, oligodendrocytes and astrocytes in a temporarily and spatially regulated manner. The transcription factor FEZF2 is necessary for cortical deep layer neuron specification in postmitotic neurons. However, the function of FEZF2 in regulating proliferation and differentiation of RGCs during cortical development and into adulthood is poorly understood. Temporally regulated lineage tracing of RGC clones in the Fezf2 KO and WT shows that an absence of FEZF2 did not substantially impact the generation of glia. Similarly, when Fezf2 is conditionally knocked out in RGCs at E13.5, neither glia nor OB interneuron generation is affected. Despite Fezf2’s negligent influence on differentiation, our quit fraction and intermediate progenitor analysis of the cKO in the V/SVZ suggests that FEZF2 reduces the proliferative lifespan of RGCs and leads to preferential differentiation of RGCs into neural intermediate progenitors.