Our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in mammalian brain development remains limited. However, the last few years have wit nessed a quantum leap in our knowledge, due to technological improve ments, particularly in molecular genetics. Despite this progress, the available body of data remains mostly phenomenological and reveals very little about the grammar that organizes the molecular dictionary to articulate a pheno type. Nevertheless, the recent progress in genetics will allow us to contem plate, for the first time, the integration of observation into a coherent view of brain development. Clearly, this may be a major challenge for the next century, and arguably is the most important task of contemporary develop mental biology. The purpose of the present book is to provide an overview that syn thesizes up-to-date information on selected aspects of mouse brain devel opment. Given the format, it was not possible to cover all aspects of brain development, and many important subjects are missing. The selected themes are, to a certain extent, subjective and reflect the interests of the contributing authors. Examples of major themes that are not covered are peripheral nervous system development, including myelination, the development of the hippocampus and several other CNS structures, as well as the developmental function of some important morphoregulatory molecules.

Introduction

Mapping Genes that Modulate Mouse Brain Development
Genetic Interactions During Hindbrain Segmentation in the Mouse Embryo
Neurogenetic Compartments of the Mouse Diencephalon and Some Characteristic Gene Expression Patterns
Neuronogenesis and the Early Events of Neocortical Histogenesis
Programmed Cell Death in Mouse Brain Development
Neurotrophic Factors: Versatile Signals for Cell-Cell Communication in the Nervous System
Growth Factors' Influences on the Production and Migration of Cortical Neurons
Signalling From Tyrosine Kinases in the Developing Neurons and Glia of the Mammalian Brain
The Role of the p35/cdk5 Kinase in Cortical Development
The Reelin Signalling Pathway and Mouse Brain Development
The Subpial Granular Layer in the Developing Cerebral Cortex of Rodents
Development of Thalamocortical Projections in Normal and Mutant Mice.