Thread

Two parallel neural ectoderm progenitors contribute to the developing brain

664 points · 258 comments · emigre

itvision · 1789800711 · focus · HN ↗
What a way to oversell the discovery.
The reality is:
```
    * Different brain regions have different functions: ancient knowledge.
    * Different regions contain distinct cell types and molecular programs: also well established.
    * Anterior and posterior brain structures may trace back to fundamentally separate progenitor lineages that were independently specified very early in evolution and development: that&#x27;s the interesting new result.
```
The headline should have been: "Human forebrain and hindbrain arise from distinct embryonic progenitor lineages" - not that we have "two organs" in the brain.
1. sandeepkd · 1789801139 · focus · HN ↗
  Though I agree with the detailed differentiation, still for the headline purpose a generic one that resonates with people easily isn't a bad choice
  1. [deleted] · 1789801435 · focus · HN ↗
    [deleted]
  2. jibal · 1789802618 · focus · HN ↗
    Lying is always a bad choice. The paper in Nature says
    "Hence, we postulate the brain is a composite organ emanating from two lineage-restricted progenitors; these dual progenitors may be evolutionarily conserved across 550 million years from hemichordates to mammals."
    KajMagnus · 1789805659 · focus · HN ↗
    If they had written instead:
    "Human brain was two separate organs"
    Then, both attention grabbig and true?
    b112 · 1789807039 · focus · HN ↗
    Probably not, because by the time hominids were a thing, it was one.
    (if I'm reading parent poster correctly)
    bryanrasmussen · 1789807705 · focus · HN ↗
    Human Brain Evolved From Two Separate Organs.
    nextaccountic · 1789807122 · focus · HN ↗
    Are there other composite organs?
    hulitu · 1789808017 · focus · HN ↗
    Yes, but this is left for the next years because they give only one Nobel preis per year.
    thaumasiotes · 1789809991 · focus · HN ↗
    <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siphonophore" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siphonophore
    mcherm · 1789810938 · focus · HN ↗
    That isn't even remotely related to the parent question. Organisms =/= Organs.
    thaumasiotes · 1789822239 · focus · HN ↗
    Do you think siphonophores don't have organs?
    grvbck · 1789811008 · focus · HN ↗
    Does the adrenal gland count?
  3. TeMPOraL · 1789810162 · focus · HN ↗
    I think "Human brain evolved from two separate organs" would've been more accurate and sufficiently simple/short for a headline, but I guess it won't fly either due to political reasons.
    HelloImSteven · 1789818866 · focus · HN ↗
    But the evolution isn’t necessarily the important part, it’s the two parts having separate development processes in modern day humans that is notable.
    TeMPOraL · 1789822959 · focus · HN ↗
    You mean like, "assembled from two separate components"?
    sdenton4 · 1789827771 · focus · HN ↗
    More like, they are two separate components, with some interwiring. Components, which we might also call organs. Two of them.
    TeMPOraL · 1789936280 · focus · HN ↗
    My objection is with the word "organs", which for everyone except maybe biologists and doctors (depending on the specialist definition of "organ") connote the developed piece of machinery inside a living thing. Not the transient state while it's still gestating.
    sdenton4 · 1790014549 · focus · HN ↗
    Organs are all interconnected as well. The hind brain and fore brain take on different tasks, as we've known for ages. I don't really have a problem calling them different organs.
    locknitpicker · 1789824038 · focus · HN ↗
    > I think "Human brain evolved from two separate organs" would've been more accurate and sufficiently simple/short for a headline, but I guess it won't fly either due to political reasons.
    I don't agree. For that you need to distort the definition of what an organ is to comply the requirement for two separate organs with distinct origin, genetic, and biochemical traits, and different function and responsibilities to somehow remain classified as the same organ.

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