Wnt Signaling Regulates Multipolar-to-Bipolar Transition of Migrating Neurons in the Cerebral Cortex

•Canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling is active in migrating pyramidal neurons•Downregulation of canonical Wnt signaling is permissive for neuronal polarization•Canonical Wnt signaling is reduced by an increase in Wnt5A/non-canonical signaling•This allows cellular ephrin-B1 expression, thereby enabling neuronal polarization

SummaryThe precise timing of pyramidal cell migration from the ventricular germinal zone to the cortical plate is essential for establishing cortical layers, and migration errors can lead to neurodevelopmental disorders underlying psychiatric and neurological diseases. Here, we report that Wnt canonical as well as non-canonical signaling is active in pyramidal precursors during radial migration. We demonstrate using constitutive and conditional genetic strategies that transient downregulation of canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling during the multipolar stage plays a critical role in polarizing and orienting cells for radial migration. In addition, we show that reduced canonical Wnt signaling is triggered cell autonomously by time-dependent expression of Wnt5A and activation of non-canonical signaling. We identify ephrin-B1 as a canonical Wnt-signaling-regulated target in control of the multipolar-to-bipolar switch. These findings highlight the critical role of Wnt signaling activity in neuronal positioning during cortical development.

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