Young Neurons Sever Ties to the Parental Niche

Neurogenesis in the vertebrate embryo involves the production of neurons through asymmetric divisions of neuroepithelial progenitors, also known as apical progenitors. The coordination of intrinsic transcriptional events, reception of external stimuli, and cellular remodeling that accompany neuronal birth is still far from being understood. On page 200 of this issue, Das and Storey ( 1 ) provide insight into this process and describe an unexpected cell remodeling process called apical abscission.