Odd Sox

Developing nerve cells – through a process called neurogenesis – is a balancing act. Produce too many cells too quickly and risk tumours forming, too few and delay development or cause problems later in life. In these sections through the midbrains of developing mice, fluorescent stains highlight transcription factor proteins (TFs), including one called SOX-9, that control this delicate process. Each column stains a different combination of TFs –the colourful blends revealing that they 'switch on' differently during early (top row) and late (bottom) stages of development. Researchers believe these patterns help early progenitor cells to develop into dopamine neurons. Delving further might reveal how to restore these important nerve cells after damage, especially in conditions like Parkinson’s Disease.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

Writer

A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Image from work by Laura Lahti and colleagues
• Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
• Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
• Published in Development, March 2025