Fold formation of the cerebral cortex requires FGF signaling in the mammalian brain

(Kanazawa University) Although the folded surface (the gyrus) of the cerebral cortex is believed to be important for higher brain functions, research on the gyrus has been much retarded since the mouse, a widely used model animal, has a brain without gyri. With a technique developed for the ferret brain, FGF signaling was now identified as being important for gyrus formation. Also, inhibition of FGF signaling was found to reduce the number of neurons in gyri.