Ch 1. NEURAL STEM CELLS OF THE MAMMALIAN FOREBRAIN, C.T. Gregg, T. Shingo and S. Weiss. Introduction. What is a neural stem cell?. Fundamental tools for the investigation of forebrain neural stem cells. Neural stem cells in forebrain development. Mechanisms of asymmetric and symmetric cell division. Regulation of neural stem cell-mediated neurogenesis and gliogenesis: extrinsic and intrinsic signals. Adult mammalian forebrain neural stem cells. Neural stem cells in the human forebrain. Future directions. Ch 2. SIMILARITY AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE HAEMOPOIETIC AND BRAIN STEM CELL SYSTEM, N. Uchida. Ch 3. LINEAGE SELECTION AND ISOLATION OF NEURAL PRECURSORS FROM EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS, M. Li, D. Price and A. Smith. Introduction. From ES cells to neurons in vitro. Lineage selection for purified neural precursors. Properties of Sox2-selected neural precursors. Plasticity of ES cell derivatives. Future prospects. Acknowledgements. Ch 4. EARLY GENERATED CAJAL-RETZIUS CELLS HAVE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS IN CORTICAL DEVELOPMENT, M. Frotscher, L. Seress and B. Heimrich. Introduction. Pathfinding, target recognition and synapse formation of entorhino-hippocampal axons. Not granule cells, but CR cells, are important for the target recognition of entorhinal axons. Reelin is not involved in target recognition of entorhinal axons. Role of CR cells in the pathfinding of entorhinal fibres. Conclusions. Acknowledgements. Ch 5. SIGNALLING CASCADE OF CNR CADHERINS (REELIN RECEPTORS) IN THE MAMMALIAN BRAIN, T. Yagi. Introduction. CNR family from Fyn tyrosine kinase. Unusual gene structures of CNR family. CNR family as Reelin receptors. Positive selection model for neuronal layering and positioning. The role of the CNR family genes in the evolution of brain formation and function. Conclusion. Acknowledgements. Ch 6. THE ROLE OF THE REELIN PATHWAY IN CORTICAL DEVELOPMENT, G. D'Arcangelo. Introduction. The reeler mutation. The reelin signalling pathway. The function of Reline. Ch 7. THE DROSOPHILA NERVOUS SYSTEM AS A MODEL FOR ASYMMETRIC CELL DIVISION, J.A. Knoblich. Introduction. Numb acts as an asymmetrically segregating determinant in the Drosophila nervous system. Numb acts by repressing Notch signalling in one daughter cell. Prospero, Miranda, Staufen and PON co-localize with Numb, but have different functions. Inscuteable directs asymmetric cell division in neuroblasts. Bazooka couples asymmetric cell division to epithelial polarity. Frizzled couples asymmetric cell division to planar polarity. Pins mediates G-protein signalling and directs asymmetric cell division. Open questions. Ch 8. DEVELOPMENTAL ABNORMALITIES IN EARLY-ONSET HYDROCEPHALUS: CLUES TO SIGNALING, J.A. Miyan, F. Mashayekhi and C.M. Bannister. Introduction. The fluid system of the central nervous system: the third circulation. Early-onset hydrocephalus in humans. Early-onset hydrocephalus in the H-Texas rat. Development of the brain. A role for cerebrospinal fluid. Acknowledgments. Ch 9. STEM CELLS AND REGENERATION IN INVERTEBRATE DEUTEROSTOMES, M.C.Thorndyke, M. Patruno, W.-C. Chen and P.W. Beesley. Introduction. Echinoderms. Tunicates. Perspectives. Functional studies. Acknowledgements.
