Making sense of neural development by comparing wiring strategies for seeing and hearing

The ability to perceive and interact with the world depends on a diverse array of neural circuits specialized for carrying out specific computations. Each circuit is assembled using a relatively limited number of molecules and common developmental steps, from cell fate specification to activity-dependent synaptic refinement. Given this shared toolkit, how do individual circuits acquire their characteristic properties? We explore this question by comparing development of the circuitry for seeing and hearing, highlighting a few examples where differences in each system's sensory demands necessitate different developmental strategies.

Automated summary

The ability to perceive and interact with the world relies on specialized neural circuits carrying out specific computations. Individual circuits acquire characteristic properties through common developmental steps, but differences in sensory demands necessitate different strategies for development, as seen in comparisons between visual and auditory circuitry.