Calcium dynamics of neocortical ventricular zone cells

Cell-cell signaling within the neocortical ventricular zone (VZ) has been s hown to influence the proliferation of VZ precursor cells and the subsequen t differentiation and fate of postmitotic neurons. Calcium (Ca2+), a ubiqui tous second messenger implicated in the regulation of many aspects of devel opment, may play a role in these signaling events, Accordingly, we have exa mined the spatiotemporal patterns of spontaneous intracellular free Ca2+ ([ Ca2+](i)) fluctuations of cells within the intact neocortical VZ. Previous observations have demonstrated that similar patterns of spontaneous [Ca2+]( i) increase occur in both proliferative and postmitotic cortical cells, sug gesting that they may be mechanistically similar. Our results suggest that the changes in [Ca2+](i) in VZ cells and cortical plate neurons are likely triggered by different mechansims, and imply that similar changes in [Ca2+] (i) may underlie different signaling events during distinct phases of neoco rtical development, Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.