Early CNS development: distal-less related genes and forebrain development.

The ever increasing number of molecular markers available for the study of developing structures is revolutionizing developmental neurobiology. It is now possible to identify entirely new groups of cells and trace their lineages among all other cell populations. Recent studies on the expression domains of a variety of genes specifically expressed in the developing CNS are beginning to give us a better understanding of the early regionalization of the CNS and, in particular, of the forebrain.