- Previous
- Next
04 May 2026
Early to Rise
Cajal-Retzius cells are a multifunctional cell type involved in the development of mammals' cortex – the brain region that sets mammals apart from other animal classes. But are they only found in mammals or have they acquired their mammal-specific function through evolution from earlier species? Comparing the activity of genes in single cells and cell location in a bird, amphibian, bony (shown here) and cartilaginous fish species, this study concludes that Cajal-Retzius cells existed at least in the last common ancestor of jawed vertebrates and underwent changes in the mammalian line of evolution.
Read the published research article here
Written by
Search The Archive
Submit An Image
Like us on Facebook
Follow on Twitter
Follow on Tumblr
Follow on Instagram
What is BPoD?
BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.
BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.