Neuronal Markers

Neurons are the cells that give rise to our perceptions, memories, and behaviors. They do so by communicating through dense, intricate networks of synapses, the neuron-to-neuron junctions through which neurons transmit chemical (neurotransmitter) and electrical signals.          Nearly 100 billion neurons populate the human brain during development. During adulthood, this number is maintained through cell death and replenishment via neurogenesis. Given the vast diversity of this massive population, this text focuses only on general neuronal markers, or those that can be detected irrespective of anatomical location in the brain, including markers of mature neurons, neuronal activity, synapses, and neurodegeneration. Not reviewed are markers of neuronal subtypes (e.g. excitatory neurons and interneurons, neurotransmitter markers, etc.).