Development of the nervous system articles from across Nature Portfolio

Pioneer neurons extend their axons to provide a track for follower neurons to follow, whether these neurons differ in other ways has not been clear. Here they show that pioneer and follower neurons are transcriptionally distinct and that RA signaling is required for pioneer axon targeting.

As large-scale neurodevelopmental MRI studies gain prominence, the authors identify tradeoffs between sample size and quality control that can dramatically affect results, and they evaluate a range of approaches to mitigate risk for error.

The role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in human cortical development remains largely unexplored. Here authors investigate CHRNA7 and CHRFAM7A, uncovering their involvement in radial glial cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation, and identify YAP1 as a downstream effector of cholinergic signaling.

Nerve fibers relaying pain information from peripheral organs are normally supported by specialized glial cells called nonmyelinating Schwann cells. Here, the authors show that a secreted factor, SEMA3B, promotes nerve fiber-Schwann cell interactions necessary for suppressing pathological pain.

The synaptic mechanisms underlying cortical postnatal development are largely unexplored. Here, the authors reveal how spine calcium activity impacts turnover and organization of synaptic inputs on neurons in the mouse binocular visual cortex.

The balance between neural excitation (E) and inhibition (I) shapes cognition, development and brain-based disorders. Electroencephalography and magnetic resonance spectroscopy allow non-invasive quantification of the E/I ratio but yield discrepancies that challenge their use in this context. Addressing these differences is essential for advancing biomarkers and brain-based therapies.

The cerebral cortex of the human brain is crucial and complex, and includes different subtypes of neuron that need to be specified during development. How this process is regulated is unclear. In this issue of Nature Neuroscience, Nano et al. curate and mine a compendium cell atlas of human cortical development to identify gene programs that drive neuron subtype specification and validate a mechanism using brain organoid models.

The hypothalamic preoptic area is involved in numerous homeostatic and social behaviours, and the neurons of this area are shown in this study to consist of numerous subtypes that show diverse maturational profiles that correlate with periods of substantial behavioural change such as weaning and puberty.