How brain stem cells grow and organize in the developing mouse brain
Official title: Mechanism and function of interkinetic nuclear migration in mouse embryonic neural stem cells
Funded at Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr · NIH-11362248 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers study how neural stem cells in a developing mouse brain multiply, differentiate, and arrange themselves to form the cortex, which could help understand developmental disabilities
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $380,214 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS124729-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11362248 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patient recruitment; this is a basic science study in mice.
✕Less likely to help
Direct benefit to patients is not immediate, as the work is preclinical.
What this research studies
This grant looks at how neural stem cells divide and organize themselves in the embryonic mouse brain to shape the cortex. Scientists will examine how cells mitose at the inner surface and how this drives outward brain growth. They plan to test how planar cell polarity signaling affects interkinetic nuclear migration and brain morphogenesis in vivo. Findings could inform how early brain development goes awry in autism and guide creation of better brain organoid models from patient cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of early brain development could lead to improved insights into developmental disabilities and help design more accurate brain organoid models for research and therapy.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work suggests interkinetic nuclear migration plays a role in brain growth, but this project aims to clarify mechanisms in vivo.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xie, Zhigang — Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr
- Study coordinator: Xie, Zhigang
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.