Brain Stem Cells Use Metabolic Pathways for Development

UCLA researchers discovered that radial glia stem cells utilize the pentose phosphate pathway to process glucose, which directly influences the types of neurons generated during brain development.

A second study revealed that thalamic projections make direct physical contact with radial glia, a process mediated by the NRXN1 gene, which is linked to autism spectrum disorder.

These findings, published in Cell and Science, demonstrate that metabolic processes and physical signals are not passive, but actively control the cellular diversity of the developing human cortex.