Decoding the porcine developing spatial processing system and production of human entorhinal stellate cell-like cells by a direct programming approach

Abstract

The entorhinal cortex consists of several important cell types including, the grid cells, speed cells, border cells and head-direction cells and is important for memory, spatial navigation and perception of time. Here, we trace in detail the development of the entorhinal cortex. Using single-cell profiling we provide unique transcriptional signatures for glia, excitatory and inhibitory neurons existing in the region, including RELN+ cells in layer (L) II and superficial pyramidal neurons. We identified a sandwich layered cortex, where LII emerges prior to LIII and superficial cells maintain a deep layer molecular identity after birth. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the formation of the brain's cognitive memory and spatial processing system and provides insight into the transcriptional identity and spatial position of the entorhinal cells.