Early neural cell deathan overlooked process in neural development

Abstract

During the development of the vertebrate nervous system, multiple physiological processes are involved in the generation of its complex cytoarchitecture and functionality. Among them, programmed cell death has been recognized as a key process that affects connecting neurons. By contrast, there is limited information available regarding the cell death that affects neuroepithelial cells, and recently born neurons and glia, hindering the comprehensive understanding of neural development. We have demonstrated that exquisitely regulated PCD occurs during early stages of neural development such as neurulation and neurogenesis. We have characterized how survival signals from proteins like proinsulin/insulin, c-Raf, and HSC70 counteract caspase-dependent apoptosis, which affects neuroepithelial cells proliferation and the generation of retinal ganglion cells. Furthermore, the characterization of these physiological signals during retinal neurogenesis has the potential to provide new therapeutic tools to attenuate retinal neurodegeneration