Scientists Discover How Our Brains Are Built Before Birth

Topic: Biology

Two new studies reveal how radial glia cells create the human brain. Researchers found that metabolism and signals from other parts of the brain help these stem cells make decisions.

Before we are born, our brains are built through a complex process involving special cells called radial glia. These cells produce many of the brain's features, including neurons and support cells that help us think, remember, and communicate. Radial glia are also important in making us human, but they can contribute to brain disorders and cancer.

Aparna Bhaduri, an assistant professor at UCLA, says radial glia are like 'the coolest cells that have ever existed.' She led a team of researchers who studied how these cells make decisions. They found that radial glia respond to two types of information: the way they process nutrients and signals from other parts of the brain.

The researchers created a detailed map of metabolism in the developing human cortex, which is the part of the brain involved in thinking and memory. They discovered that metabolism can influence what kind of cells are produced. When radial glia don't have enough glucose or when their metabolic process is disrupted, they produce different types of cells.

Another study looked at signals coming from a structure deep inside the brain called the thalamus. The researchers found that these signals arrive early in the development of the cortex and help form connections between neurons.

Why It Matters

Understanding how our brains are built can help us prevent or treat brain disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia. It can also lead to new treatments for cancer.

Key Facts

• Radial glia cells produce many of the brain's features before birth.
• Metabolism influences what kind of cells are produced by radial glia.
• Signals from other parts of the brain, like the thalamus, help form connections between neurons.
• Aparna Bhaduri led a team of researchers who studied how radial glia make decisions.
• Two new studies were published in Cell and Science in 2026.

Key Terms

Radial Glia

Special stem cells that produce many of the brain's features before birth.

Pentose Phosphate Pathway

A metabolic process that uses glucose to make materials needed by dividing cells.

Implications

Understanding how our brains are built can help us prevent or treat brain disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia. It can also lead to new treatments for cancer.