During neurogenesis, neuroepithelial (NE) cells transform into radial glia. Epithelial features, such as tight junctions, are downregulated in favor of adherens junctions. Glial hallmarks, including astrocyte markers and morphological features such as glycogen granules, begin to emerge.
VIM
Vimentin is an intermediate filament protein, whose expression is upregulated during the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of NE cells to radial glia and persists until astrocyte development.
Rhesus monkey brain tissue sections stained with anti-vimentin (ab92547).
Paired Box 6, aniridia type II protein (AN2), oculorhombin
PAX6
Paired box gene 6 or paired box protein (PAX6) is a transcription factor that promotes neurogenesis.
Mouse embryonic (E12.5) brain sections stained with anti-PAX6 (ab5790).
Hairy and enhancer of split-1 and hairy and enhancer of split-5
HES1 and HES5
These are transcription factors regulating the maintenance of radial glia.
Mouse brain tissue sections stained with anti-HES5 (red) (ab25374).
These astrocytic markers emerge as neuroepithelial cells become radial glia.
Rat embryonic (E16) spinal cord sections stained with anti-BLBP (ab32423).
View 3 references for Astrocytic markers: GFAP, GLAST, and BLBP
Upregulation of adhesion and extracellular matrix proteins accompanies the transformation of NE cells into radial glia.
Mouse embryonic coronal cortical section stained with anti-N -cadherin (red) (ab76011).
View 3 references for Adhesion and extracellular matrix molecules: TN-C and N-cadherin
NES
Nestin is an intermediate filament protein in NE cells and radial glia, whose expression persists until astrocyte development.
Rat adult brain tissue sections stained with anti-nestin (ab6142).
ANOP3, MCOPS3, SRY-box 2, Sox2, SRY-box transcription factor 2
SOX2
SOX2 is a transcription factor and the earliest marker of the neural plate. It is expressed in proliferating cells and those acquiring glial fates but downregulated in post-mitotic neurons.
E13 mouse spinal cord sections stained with anti-SOX2 (ab97959).