Neuroepithelial Differentiation Induced by ECM Molecules

Many important processes in the development of the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS) rely on signals induced by extracellular matrix (ECM) components (1 ,2 ). These molecules are known to contain multiple functional domains that deliver distinct signals to the cells with which they interact. We will focus here on a well-known ECM glycoprotein, laminin-1, which plays a variety of roles in the development of the CNS (2 ).