Ventricular zone

[1][2] The VZ is so named because it lines the ventricular system, which contains cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

The embryonic ventricular system contains growth factors and other nutrients needed for the proper function of neural stem cells.

[3] Neurogenesis, or the generation of neurons, occurs in the VZ during embryonic and fetal development as a function of the Notch pathway,[4][5] and the newborn neurons must migrate substantial distances to their final destination in the developing brain or spinal cord where they will establish neural circuits.

[8][9] Through the process of neurogenesis, the parent neural stem cell pool is depleted and the VZ disappears.

Epigenetic DNA modifications appear to have a central role in regulating gene expression during differentiation of neural stem cells.

The VZ and SVZ are indicated by immunohistochemical labelling of Sox2 and Tbr2 gene expression in the embryonic mouse forebrain at embryonic day 13.5. The dorsal telencephalon becomes the cerebral cortex , and contains the Tbr2-labeled cells. CP, cortical plate ; LV, lateral ventricle ; MGE, medial ganglionic eminence