The born identity: Molecular mechanisms of dopaminergic subset specification

In the last decade, the mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (mdDA) system has extensively been studied for its association with Parkinson's Disease (PD). Although some progress has been made, the molecular mechanisms behind specific neuronal vulnerability of the Substantia Nigra (SN) subset of mdDA neurons in PD have remained largely unclear. Finemapping the molecular signatures specific to SN neurons is believed key to understanding subpopulation specific neuronal vulnerability as observed in PD. We have therefore used various strategies to elucidate the molecular diversity of mdDA neurons in more detail, and related this molecular diversity to the selective degeneration of SN neurons in PD.