Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor and is 
thought to arise from genetic anomalies in developmental pathways required for 
the normal maturation of the cerebellar cortex, notably developmental pathways 
for granule cell progenitor (GCP) neurogenesis. Over the past decade, a wide 
range of studies have identified genes and their regulators within signaling 
pathways, as well as noncoding RNAs, that have crucial roles in both normal 
cerebellar development and pathogenesis. These include the Notch, Wnt/β-catenin, 
bone morphogenic proteins (Bmp) and Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) pathways. In this 
review, we highlight the function of these pathways in the growth of the 
cerebellum and the formation of MB. A better understanding of the developmental 
origins of these tumors will have significant implications for enhancing the 
treatment of this important childhood cancer.