Analysis of molecular mechanisms regulating neural progenitor cells in the early neocortex

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In the developing neocortex, neural progenitor cells (NPCs) produce neurons of the six cortical layers in a temporal order. Maintenance of NPCs is essential for the generation of distinct types of neurons at the required time. In this study, we identified Nepro, a gene expressed in the developing mouse neocortex at early stages. Misexpression of Nepro inhibits neuronal differentiation only in the early neocortex. Knockdown of Nepro by siRNA causes precocious differentiation of neurons. Expression of Nepro is regulated by Notch, which has been shown to be important for the maintenance of NPCs. These results indicate that Nepro is involved in the maintenance of NPCs in the early neocortex downstream of Notch.