Experience-dependent regulation of NG2 progenitors in the developing barrel cortex

We show that during formation of the mouse barrel cortex, NG2 cells receive glutamatergic synapses from thalamocortical fibers and preferentially accumulate along septa separating the barrels. Sensory deprivation reduces thalamocortical inputs on NG2 cells and increases their proliferation, leading to a more uniform distribution within the deprived barrels. Therefore, early sensory experience regulates thalamocortical innervation on NG2 cells, as well as their proliferation and distribution during development.