The internal structure of the cerebellum reflects an intriguing paradox; its cytoarchitecture is relatively simple and repeated throughout, yet the connections between its neurons are wired into a complex array of gene expression domains and functional circuits. The developmental mechanisms that coordinate the establishment of cerebellar structure and circuitry provide a powerful model for understanding how functional brain networks are formed. Two primary germinal zones generate the cells that make up the cerebellum. Each zone expresses a specific set of genes that establish the cell lineages within the cerebellar anlage. Then, cohorts of differentiated projection neurons and interneuron progenitors migrate into the developing cerebellum. Thereafter, a number of remarkable patterning events occur including transformation of the smooth cerebellar surface into an intricately patterned series of folds, formation of three distinct cellular layers, and the demarcation of parasagittal gene expression domains. Together, these structural and molecular organizations are thought to support the proper connectivity between incoming afferent projections and their target cells. After birth, genetic programs and neural activity repattern synaptic connections into topographic neural networks called modules, which are organized around a longitudinal zone plan and are defined by their molecular, anatomic, and functional properties. WIREs Dev Biol 2013, 2:149-164. doi: 10.1002/wdev.65 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
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