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. lucideer · 1789801887 · focus · HN ↗
  Given the parallel example cited in the article of jellyfish having two spatially separate organs, & the subsequent speculation that our own ancestors could also have had spacially separate anterior & posterior masses, the title doesn't really seem unreasonable in its hyperbole.
  While it might not be perfectly accurate it's hardly misleading.
  1. amelius · 1789845895 · focus · HN ↗
    Humans also have a gut brain. So maybe we have 3 seperate brains?
    The most important question: are they all conscious?

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