Transcriptional control of GABAergic neuron development in the dorsal spinal cord⋆

GABAergic neurons are the major inhibitory interneurons that powerfully control the function of spinal neuronal networks. In recent years, tremendous progresses have been made in understanding the transcriptional control of GABAergic neuron development in the dorsal spinal cord. New experimental approaches provide a relatively high throughput way to study the molecular regulation of subgroup fate determination. Our understanding of the molecular mechanisms on GABAergic neuron development in the dorsal spinal cord is rapidly expanding. Recent studies have defined several transcription factors that play essential roles in GABAergic neuron development in the spinal dorsal horn. Here, we review results of very recent analyses of the mechanisms that specify the GABAergic neuron development in the dorsal spinal cord, especially the progresses in the homeodomain (HD) and basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) containing transcription factors.