Number of Calretinin-Containing Pyramidal Cells in Cingulate Cortex Layer V

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Human Uniqueness Compared to "Great Apes": 
Absolute Difference
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Humans have an enlarged population calretinin-containing pyramidal cells in layer V of anterior cingulate cortex compared to other hominids. Great apes and humans have a small population of layer V pyramidal cells in the anterior cingulate cortex that express calretinin; these cells are more common in humans than in the other great apes. Pyramidal cells in the homologous cortical region of Old World monkeys, New World monkeys, and prosimian primates do not express calretinin. These cells are distinct from the Von Economo cells that are also present in anterior cingulate cortex.

Timing

Timing of appearance of the difference in the Hominin Lineage as a defined date or a lineage separation event. The point in time associated with lineage separation events may change in the future as the scientific community agrees upon better time estimates. Lineage separation events are defined in 2017 as:

  • the Last Common Ancestor (LCA) of humans and old world monkeys was 25,000 - 30,000 thousand (25 - 30 million) years ago
  • the Last Common Ancestor (LCA) of humans and chimpanzees was 6,000 - 8,000 thousand (6 - 8 million) years ago
  • the emergence of the genus Homo was 2,000 thousand (2 million) years ago
  • the Last Common Ancestor (LCA) of humans and neanderthals was 500 thousand years ago
  • the common ancestor of modern humans was 100 - 300 thousand years ago

Possible Appearance: 
6,000 thousand years ago
Definite Appearance: 
100 thousand years ago
Background Information: 

Humans have an enlarged population calretinin-containing pyramidal cells in layer V of anterior cingulate cortex compared to other hominids. In most primates and rodents, the calcium-binding protein calretinin is expressed primarily by GABAergic interneurons and is not expressed by most populations of pyramidal cells. As described by Hof et al. (2001), great apes and humans have a small population of layer V pyramidal cells in the anterior cingulate cortex that express calretinin; these cells are more common in humans than in the other great apes. Pyramidal cells in the homologous cortical region of Old World monkeys, New World monkeys, and prosimian primates do not express calretinin. These cells are distinct from the Von Economo cells that are also present in anterior cingulate cortex.

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