Science Advances· 2026Q1
Coordinated neural progenitor adaptations contribute to primate neocortical downscaling
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- 2026year
Short summary
Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in common marmosets exhibit coordinated adaptations that reduce their capacity and alter early dynamics, leading to a smaller, smoother neocortex compared to primates with gyrencephalic brains.
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Key points
- Common marmosets have a smaller, smoother neocortex, contrasting with the typical primate gyrencephalic structure.
- Coordinated adaptations in neural progenitor cell (NPC) biology are identified as the cause of neocortical downscaling.
- Multiple adaptations in apical and basal progenitors reduce progenitor capacity and alter early dynamics.
- These NPC adaptations constrain neuronal output, limiting neocortical size and folding.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Most primates have a large, highly folded (gyrencephalic) neocortex, a feature present in the primate common ancestor. In contrast, several New World monkey species display a comparatively small and largely smooth, unfolded (lissencephalic) neocortex. One prominent example is the common marmoset, an increasingly popular model in neuroscience. This phenotype likely reflects an evolutionary reduction from the ancestral primate condition, implying modifications in neurodevelopmental programs. One essential basis for neocortical development is the activity and behavior of neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Here, we identify coordinated adaptations in NPC biology that bias neurodevelopmental trajectories toward neocortical downscaling. By combining marmoset and human cerebral organoids with analyses of fetal marmoset neocortical tissue and previously published histological data, we uncover multiple adaptations in apical and basal progenitors that converge on reduced progenitor capacity, alter early progenitor dynamics, and likely constrain neuronal output, thereby limiting the size and folding of the marmoset neocortex.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Science Advances, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Developmental Neuroscience
Developmental NeuroscienceNeuroscience