Patterns and dynamics of SVZ cell migration in the postnatal forebrain: Monitoring living progenitors in slice preparations

Glial progenitors colonize the CNS widely in the perinatal period, but the pathways and mechanisms of migration are not well understood. We investigat ed the migration of progenitors from the neonatal rat forebrain subventricu lar zone (SVZ) by labeling them in vivo with a retrovirus encoding green fl uorescent protein and visualizing movements by time lapse microscopy in sli ces. Cells within the dorsolateral SVZ moved in an undirected fashion but m igrated radially and tangentially after emigration into white matter, corte x, and striatum. Cells in the striatal SVZ migrated parallel to the ventric ular surface. During migration, elongation of the leading process and nucle ar translocation were independent or linked. Orthogonal turning involved ei ther cessation of cell body movement and formation of a new leading process or continuous cell body movement and bending of the leading process.