Cell lineage tracing techniques for the study of brain development and regeneration

Characterization of the means by which cells are generated and organized to make an organ as complex as the brain is a formidable task. Understanding how adult stem cells give rise to progeny that integrate into the existing structures during regeneration or in response to injury is equally challenging. Lineage tracing techniques are essential to studying cell behaviors such as proliferation, migration and differentiation, since they allow stem or precursor cells to be marked and their descendants followed and characterized over time. Here, we describe some of the key lineage tracing techniques available to date, highlighting advantages and drawbacks and focusing on their application in neural fate mapping. The more traditional methods are now joined by exciting new approaches to provide a vast array of tools at the disposal of neurobiologists.