Subplate

It was first described, as a separate transient fetal zone by Ivica Kostović and Mark E. Molliver in 1974.

It serves as a waiting compartment for growing cortical afferents; its cells are involved in the establishment of pioneering cortical efferent projections and transient fetal circuitry, and apparently have a number of other developmental roles.

The subplate zone is a phylogenetically recent structure and it is most developed in the human brain.

These neurons disappear during postnatal development and are important in establishing the correct wiring [2][3] and functional maturation [4] of the cerebral cortex.

Subplate neurons appear to be selectively sensitive to injury (such as hypoxia) which in humans are associated with motor and cognitive defects [5].