| dc.description | The adult mammalian brain contains an enormous variety of neuronal types, which are generally categorized
in large groups, based on their neurochemical identity, hodological properties and molecular markers.
This broad classification has allowed the correlation between individual neural progenitor
populations and their neuronal progeny, thus contributing to probe the cellular and molecular mechanisms
involved in neuronal identity determination during central nervous system (CNS) development.
In this review, we discuss the contribution of the proneural genes Neurogenin2 (Neurog2) and
Achaete-scute homolog 1 (Ascl1) for the specification of neuronal phenotypes in the developing neocortex,
cerebellum and retina. Then, we revise recent data on astroglia cell lineage reprogramming into
induced neurons using the same proneural proteins to compare the neuronal phenotypes obtained from
astroglial cells originated in those CNS regions. We conclude that Ascl1 and Neurog2 have different contributions
to determine neuronal fates, depending on the neural progenitor or astroglial population
expressing those proneural factors. Finally, we discuss some possible explanations for these seemingly
conflicting effects of Ascl1 and Neurog2 and propose future approaches to further dissect the molecular
mechanisms of neuronal identity specification. | |
