ABSTRACT
One of the most striking organizational features of the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS) is the extraordinary diversity of its component neuronal cell types. How this impressive feat of cellular diversification is achieved, and how molecular and morphological distinctions direct neuronal connectivity, physiology, and function remain enigmatic problems (1). Information on the mechanisms by which neurons acquire their specialized identities may also provide insights into the selectivity of neuronal loss that characterizes most neurodegenerative diseases.
