Rewiring the Brain With Genetic Manipulations in Neural Lineages.

Neurons originate from neural stem cells and then synapse with stereotyped partners to form neuronal circuits. Recent findings indicate that several molecular mechanisms generating neuronal identity can rewire neuronal connectivity in the brain when genetically manipulated. In this review, I discuss how mechanisms generating neuronal identity could activate molecular pathways essential for circuit formation and function.

Temporal identity establishes columnar neuron morphology, connectivity, and function in a navigation circuit.

The insect central complex (CX) is a conserved brain region containing 60 + neuronal subtypes, several of which contribute to navigation. It is not known how CX neuronal diversity is generated or how developmental origin of subtypes relates to function. We mapped the developmental origin of four key CX subtypes and found that neurons with similar origin have similar axon/dendrite targeting.