Glycine Receptor α2 Subunit Activation Promotes Cortical Interneuron Migration

• Migrating cortical interneurons express functional α2 subunit GlyRs
• GlyRs activation controls interneuron migration by fine-tuning nucleokinesis
• GlyR α2 activation promotes calcium oscillations and myosin II phosphorylation
• GlyR α2 activation regulates actomyosin contractility during nucleokinesis

SummaryGlycine receptors (GlyRs) are detected in the developing CNS before synaptogenesis, but their function remains elusive. This study demonstrates that functional GlyRs are expressed by embryonic cortical interneurons in vivo. Furthermore, genetic disruption of these receptors leads to interneuron migration defects. We discovered that extrasynaptic activation of GlyRs containing the α2 subunit in cortical interneurons by endogenous glycine activates voltage-gated calcium channels and promotes calcium influx, which further modulates actomyosin contractility to fine-tune nuclear translocation during migration. Taken together, our data highlight the molecular events triggered by GlyR α2 activation that control cortical tangential migration during embryogenesis.

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