Investigation of the mechanisms underlying the development and evolution of the mammalian cerebrum using gyrencephalic ferrets

The mammalian cerebrum has changed notably during evolution, with increases in neurons and glial cells accompanied by its expansion and folding. Although these evolutionary changes are thought to be crucial for the acquisition of higher cognitive functions, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the development and evolution of the mammalian cerebrum are still not fully understood. This is partly because of the difficulty in analyzing these mechanisms using mice only. To overcome this problem, genetic manipulation techniques for the cerebrum of gyrencephalic carnivore ferrets have been established. Gene knockout in the ferret cerebrum has also been achieved using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. In this review, we summarize recent research into the mechanisms underlying the development and evolution of the cerebrum using ferrets.