Unlocking CNS cell type heterogeneity.

ABSTRACT

A major challenge to understanding how cells work together in the central nervous system (CNS) is the heterogeneous cellular composition of the brain. In this issue, Heiman et al. (2008) and Doyle et al. (2008) introduce a new strategy (TRAP) that enables the profiling of translated mRNAs in specific CNS cell populations without the need for purifying cells to homogeneity.