BioEssays 11∕2016

Three methods, three groups, one cell type: Human serotonergic neurons . On pages 1123–1129 Krishna C. Vadodaria and Fred H. Gage discuss three unique methods for generating human serotonergic neurons in vitro. Thus far, methods for generating human serotonergic neurons in vitro had met with limited success, but within the last year, three groups independently published protocols for generating serotonergic neurons, directly induced from fibroblasts (iN) and from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). Overlapping and distinct features of each method are discussed to highlight their utility for studying serotonergic neurotransmission in the context of neurological disorders such as major depression. The cover image shows an artistic stylization, with an edgeglow effect, of high‐magnification confocal images of the same serotonergic neuron immunopositive for serotonin (green, top panel), tryptophan hydroxylase (red, middle panel), and the neural marker MAP2 (blue, lower panel).