Vertebrate macroglial cells have diverse roles in the maintenance of neurological function. This review highlights progress in our understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the specification of precursors for two key macroglial subtypes — oligodendrocytes and astrocytes — in the embryo. These mechanisms are strikingly similar to those that underlie the development of neuronal subtypes, including emergence from localized regions of the neural tube, and involvement of common signalling pathways and downstream transcription factors. The switch from neuronal to glial precursor production can be modelled as a complex interplay between regionally-restricted components and generalized temporal regulators.
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