Parameters for stable Notch-independent Her6 oscillations across a frequency spectrum in neural stem cell populations

Her6 oscillations in zebrafish neural stem cells are stable and cell-autonomous across a wide frequency range, and they persist despite Notch inhibition.

• Why it matters: It is unclear how Notch signaling and HES/Her transcription factors maintain stable neural stem cell populations during vertebrate brain growth in vivo.
• What they did: The authors engineered mNeonGreen into the her6 locus, recorded Her6-mNG fluorescence time courses in vivo, tested Notch dependence, and used mathematical modelling to link oscillation stability to degradation rate constants.
• The result: Modelling predicts oscillations prevail only when transcript and protein degradation rate constants are equal, and in vivo data support this, implying intrinsic control parameters help robust NSC maintenance.

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