Radial glia at the neurovascular interface during cortical development.

Overview

Radial glia are a specialized population of neural progenitor cells that persist throughout embryogenesis and into adulthood. Throughout this period, radial glia reside in a highly dynamic microenvironment that influences various biological decisions that govern typical cortical development. Subsequently, radial glia must fine-tune their responses to numerous environmental cues throughout development. The establishment of the cortical vasculature coincides with neurogenesis and dramatically alters the radial glia microenvironment by increasing oxygen and metabolite delivery. In addition, a synergistic spatial relationship between radial glia and endothelial cells regulates multiple aspects of radial glial biology. Here, we discuss crosstalk between radial glia and the cortical vasculature/endothelial cells throughout development, including the influence of extrinsic angiogenic processes and our growing understanding of the intricate spatial relationships between radial glia and endothelial cells.