Illness-induced alterations in cortical patterning. A, LPS-challenged offspring show significant alterations in the laminar distribution of cortical cells born during and after the immune stimulus. Cells born during the acute phase of the immune response at E12.5 show a shift in laminar positioning toward the outer layers of the adult cortex. Cells born 3 d later at E15.5 show a reciprocal change in positioning with a higher than normal proportion of E15.5-born cells located the inner layers of the adult cortex. B, In addition to alterations in laminar positioning, Satb2- and Tbr1-positive neuronal subtypes are selectively depleted while Ctip2-positive neurons increase in number. PV-positive interneurons are also selectively depleted. We speculate that the functional consequences may include impairment in commissural and corticothalamic connectivity with an accompanying accentuation of connectivity to subcerebral targets.