The genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms of neural development are essential for understanding evolution and disorders of neural systems. Recent advances in genetic, molecular, and cell biological methods have generated a massive increase in new information, but there is a paucity of comprehensive and up-to-date syntheses, references, and historical perspectives on this important subject. The Comprehensive Developmental Neuroscience series is designed to fill this gap, offering the most thorough coverage of this field on the market today and addressing all aspects of how the nervous system and its components develop. Particular attention is paid to the effects of abnormal development and on new psychiatric/neurological treatments being developed based on our increased understanding of developmental mechanisms. Each volume in the series consists of review style articles that average 15-20pp and feature numerous illustrations and full references. Volume 1 offers 48 high level articles devoted mainly to patterning and cell type specification in the developing central and peripheral nervous systems.

Table of Contents:
Part I: Induction and Patterning of the CNS and PNS 1. Telencephalon Patterning S. Tole, J. Hébert 2. Morphogens, Patterning Centers, and their Mechanisms of Action E.A. Grove, E.S. Monuki 3. Midbrain Patterning: Isthmus Organizer, Tectum Regionalization, and Polarity Formation H. Nakamura 4. Area Patterning of the Mammalian Cortex D.D.M. O'Leary, A.M. Stocker, A. Zembrzycki 5. The Formation and Maturation of Neuromuscular Junctions C.R. Hayworth, R.J. Balice-Gordon 6. Neural Induction of Embryonic Stem/Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells K. Brennand, F. Gage 7. Spinal Cord Patterning W.D. Gifford, M. Hayashi, M. Sternfeld, J. Tsai, W.A. Alaynick, S.L. Pfaff 8. Patterning of the Diencephalon L. Puelles, S. Martinez 9. Neural Induction Embryonic Stem Cells C. Kintner, A. Hemmati-Brivanlou 10. Plan of the Developing Vertebrate Nervous System: Relating Embryology to the Adult Nervous System (Prosomere Model, Overview of Brain Organization) L. Puelles 11. Cerebellar Patterning J.K. Fahrion, Y. Komuro, N. Ohno, Y. Littner, C. Nelson, T. Kumada, B. Lamb, H. Komuro 12. Hox Genes and Neural Patterning in Drosophila P.A. Kuert, H. Reichert 13. Induction and Patterning of Neural Crest and Ectodermal Placodes and their Derivatives J. Begbie Part II: Generation of Neuronal Diversity 14. Cell Biology of Neuronal Progenitor Cells S. Temple, Q. Shen 15. Cell Cycle Regulation in Brain Construction M. Crespo, M.E. Ross 16. Regulation of Neuronal Survival by Neurotrophins in the Developing Peripheral Nervous System A.M. Davies 17. Notch and Neural Development J.J. Breunig, B.R. Nelson 18. bHLH Factors in Neurogenesis and Neuronal Subtype Specification H.C. Lai, D.M. Meredith, J.E. Johnson 19. Environmental Cues and Signaling Pathways that Regulate Neural Precursor Development A. Gauthier-Fisher, F.D. Miller 20. Specification of Neural Crest- and Placode-Derived Neurons L. Sommer 21. The Specification and Generation of Neurons in the Ventral Spinal Cord M. Matise, K. Sharma 22. Neurogenesis in the Cerebellum V.V. Chizhikov, K.J. Millen 23. The Generation of Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons S.R.W. Stott, S.-L. Ang 24. Neurogenesis in the Basal Ganglia J.L.R. Rubenstein, K. Campbell 25. Specification of Cortical Projection Neurons: Transcriptional Mechanisms J.L. MacDonald, R.M. Fame, E. Azim, S.J. Shnider, B.J. Molyneaux, P. Arlotta, J.D. Macklis 26. The Generation of Cortical Interneurons R. Batista-Brito, G. Fishell 27. Specification of Retinal Cell Types R.B. Hufnagel, N.L. Brown 28. Neurogenesis in the Postnatal VZ-SVZ and the Origin of Interneuron Diversity A. Alvarez-Buylla, F. Merkle, L. Fuentealba 29. Neurogenesis in the Damaged Mammalian Brain M. Nakafuku, A. Grande 30. Neurogenesis in the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans* O. Hobert 31. Development of the Drosophila Embryonic Ventral Nerve Cord: From Neuroectoderm to Unique Neurons and Glia J. Benito-Sipos, M. Baumgardt, S. Thor 32. Neurogenesis in Zebrafish A. Alunni, M. Coolen, I. Foucher, L. Bally-Cuif Part III: Development of Glia, Blood Vessels, Choroid Plexus, Immune Cells in the Nervous System 33. ‘Glial’ Biology: Has it Come to the Beginning of the End? D. Rowitch, A. Alvarez-Buylla 34. Neural Stem Cells Among Glia A. Alvarez-Buylla, A. Kriegstein 35. Structure and Function of Myelinated Axons S.A. Buffington, M.N. Rasband 36. Mechanisms of Astrocyte Development A.V. Molofsky, C. Hochstim, B. Deneen, D. Rowitch 37. Specification of Macroglia by Transcription Factors: Oligodendrocytes M. Wegner 38. Specification of Macroglia by Transcription Factors: Schwann Cells D. Meijer, J. Svaren 39. Signaling Pathways that Regulate Glial Development and Early Migration Oligodendrocytes R.H. Miller 40. Signaling Pathways that Regulate Glial Development and Early Migration Schwann Cells K.R. Jessen, R. Mirsky 41. Microglia A.E. Cardona, R.M. Ransohoff, K. Akassoglou 42. Ependyma, Choroid A. Meunier, K. Sawamoto, N. Spassky 43. Meninges and Vasculature J.A. Siegenthaler, S.J. Pleasure 44. Neuron–Glial Interactions: Schwann Cells M.H. Schwab, M.W. Sereda, K.-A. Nave 45. Neuron–Glial Interactions: Neurotransmitter Signaling to Cells of the Oligodendrocyte Lineage L.M. De Biase, D.E. Bergles 46. Invertebrate Glia T. Stork, M.R. Freeman 47. Nonmammalian Model Systems: Zebrafish B. Appel 48. New Approaches in Glial Biology: Imaging Neuroglial Pathology In Vivo I. Nikić, T. Misgeld, M. Kerschensteiner Index