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Pei-Shan Hou, Ph.D. 侯珮珊 博士
Assistant Professor
Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
國立陽明交通大學 解剖學及細胞生物學研究所 助理教授
Email: pshou@nycu.edu.tw
Transcriptional Regulation Shaping Neocortical Progenitor Diversity Across Evolution From Rodent to Primate
The diversity of cortical progenitors is a key feature distinguishing the primate neocortex from that of rodents, supporting the emergence of expanded cortical layers and advanced cognitive functions. However, the transcriptional mechanisms driving species-specific progenitor populations remain incompletely understood. Here, we integrate genetic engineering with both 2D and 3D cortical differentiation of primate embryonic stem cells, alongside in vivo mouse models, to uncover an evolutionarily relevant regulatory program involving the transcription factor DACH1. We show that DACH1 is highly expressed in neurogenic radial glia enriched in the developing human cortex. Functional analysis revealed that DACH1 depletion in human cortical cells alters progenitor composition and neurogenic output, while similar perturbation in mouse cortices has minimal impact. In contrast, ectopic expression of DACH1 in rodent cortices induces progenitor changes resembling those observed in primates. We further identify LHX2 as an upstream regulator of DACH1, acting through a primate-specific enhancer element. Together, our findings delineate a transcriptional network that contributes to the emergence of cortical progenitor diversity across species, highlighting how primate-specific regulatory innovations have shaped neocortical evolution.
Position
2019–present Assistant Professor, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan
Education
2013 Ph.D., Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
2006 B.S., Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
Research Experience
2017–2019 Postdoctoral Fellow (JSPS Fellowship), Waseda University & RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Japan
2016–2017 Postdoctoral Fellow, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Japan
2015–2016 Postdoctoral Fellow, RIKEN (Taiwan MOST Fellowship)
2013–2015 Postdoctoral Fellow, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
Expertise
Cortical development, transcriptional regulation, stem cell differentiation, brain organoids, and disease modeling
Selected Publications
Hou PS*, Lin SF, Zhu JD, Chung CY, Tsai SJ, Yang AC. Local cortical structure pattern and genetic links in schizophrenia: An MRI and CRISPR/Cas9 study. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2025 Mar.
Nian FS, Liao BK, Su YL, Wu PR, Tsai JW, Hou PS*. Oscillatory DeltaC Expression in Neural Progenitors Primes the Prototype of Forebrain Development. Mol Neurobiol. 2024 Oct 11.
Hung SS, Tsai PS, Po CW, Hou PS*. Pax6 isoforms shape eye development: Insights from developmental stages and organoid models. Differentiation. 2024 Apr 10;137:100781.
Hou PS* and Kuo HC. Central nervous system organoids for modeling neurodegenerative diseases. IUBMB Life. 2022 Jan 31.
Hou PS*, Miyoshi F, Hanashima C. Sensory cortex wiring requires preselection of short- and long-range projection neurons through an Egr-Foxg1-COUP-TFI network. Nat Commun. 2019 Aug 8;10(1):3581.
Biosketch
Dr. Pei-Shan Hou is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. She received her Ph.D. from National Taiwan University, where she focused on neural differentiation mechanisms regulated by LHX2. During her postdoctoral training in Dr. Carina Hanashima's lab at RIKEN and Waseda University, she investigated cortical projection neuron identity and transcriptional networks during brain development. Her recent work combines 2D differentiation systems, 3D brain organoids, and reprogramming-based models to explore species-specific mechanisms in primate cortical development and neurological diseases. Her research bridges developmental biology and regenerative medicine through in vitro modeling.
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