Evaluation of species-specific biochemical variation as a means for assessing homology in neuronal populations

The phylogenetic history of neurons, as derived from the establishment of homologies, has been thought to be useful for furthering the understanding of nervous system function and behavior. The sensitivity of current biochemical and molecular techniques has been heralded as the ultimate means to establish neuronal phenotype and, thus in, turn to assess neuronal homology among species. Studies delineated in this review define the caveats associated with over reliance on such an approach, even when an in-depth understanding of the biochemical and genetic makeup of homologous neuronal populations is available.