Ontogeny of the spinal cord dorsal horn

The dorsal horn of the mammalian spinal cord is organized into laminae where each layer is populated by different neuron types, has distinctive circuit connections, and plays specialized roles in behavior. An outstanding question is how this organization emerges during development from an apparently homogeneous pool of neural progenitors. Here, we show that mouse dorsal neurons are diversified by time, with families of related cell types born as temporal cohorts, and by a spatial-molecular gradient that specifies individual cell types. Excitatory neurons settle into a chronotopic arrangement that transforms their progressive birthdates into anatomical order and is required to establish proper laminae. We identified essential ontogenetic principles that shape dorsal progenitors into the diverse cell types and structure that subserve sensorimotor function.

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Publication Details

Journal
Science
Published
2026-01-08
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adx5781
Citations
4
Primary Topic
Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
88.95
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article

Ontogeny of the spinal cord dorsal horn

Ruth M. Arkell, Ariel J. Levine, Diana Nardini, Ronald R. Waclaw et al.
4 citations
Science
Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
88.95
article

Ontogeny of the spinal cord dorsal horn

Ruth M. Arkell, Ariel J. Levine, Diana Nardini, Ronald R. Waclaw, Alexander Richardson, Archana Yadav, R. Brian Roome, Jane E. Johnson, Lydia Flores, Amrit Kaur Puarr, Vilas Menon
article en
4 citations

Abstract

The dorsal horn of the mammalian spinal cord is organized into laminae where each layer is populated by different neuron types, has distinctive circuit connections, and plays specialized roles in behavior. An outstanding question is how this organization emerges during development from an apparently homogeneous pool of neural progenitors. Here, we show that mouse dorsal neurons are diversified by time, with families of related cell types born as temporal cohorts, and by a spatial-molecular gradient that specifies individual cell types. Excitatory neurons settle into a chronotopic arrangement that transforms their progressive birthdates into anatomical order and is required to establish proper laminae. We identified essential ontogenetic principles that shape dorsal progenitors into the diverse cell types and structure that subserve sensorimotor function.

ScienceVol. 391(6781)
Australian National University (AU), Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (US), Columbia University Irving Medical Center (US), Southwestern Medical Center (US), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (US), Southwestern Medical Center (US), The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (US), University of Cincinnati Medical Center (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 0%
Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
88.95
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Ontogeny of the spinal cord dorsal horn — Ruth M. Arkell, Ariel J. Levine, et al. · Science (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS