From Stem Cells to Cerebral Cortex in A Dish: Mechanisms and Perspectives for Modeling Human Brain Diseasesand Evolution

The cerebral cortex consists of several hundreds of differenttypes of neurons, organized into specific cortical layers and areasthat display specific profiles of gene expression, morphology,excitability and connectivity.Pluripotent stem cells constitute a promising tool for the modellingof human brain development and diseases. Here, we willdescribe how corticogenesis in vitro from pluripotent stem cellscan be used to identify the mechanisms underlying human neurodevelopmentaldiseases and to uncover novel links betweencortical development and human brain evolution.