Editing the Embryonic Brain: How In Utero Electroporation Reveals the Secrets of Cortical Development

The development of the mammalian cerebral cortex follows a tightly regulated dynamic molecular program, the critical stages and key molecular players of which remain to be fully elucidated. Detailed visualization of these processes, along with functional genomic studies, will significantly advance our understanding of neurogenesis and its associated human disorders. Such developmental aberrations often entail irreversible changes that lead to congenital malformations of varying severity. In utero electroporation (IUE) has emerged as a widely utilized in vivo transfection and imaging technique. When coupled with advanced technologies such as genome editing and systems for spatiotemporal and tissue-specific gene expression, IUE offers unprecedented opportunities to dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying embryonic cortical development both under normal conditions and in various pathological processes. This review highlights the technical utility of IUE and provides examples of experimental designs used to investigate stages of neurogenesis. Particular attention has been paid to studying the cell cycle using thymidine analogues, the differentiation of neuronal progenitor cells, and axonal guidance.