This extensively expanded and updated edition reflects the enormous increase in our knowledge of the development of the nervous system. Working from a new understanding that the regionalization of stem cells occurs early in development and that this bias appears to persist even after prolonged culture, Dr. Rao has added additional chapters on olfactory epithelial stem cells and retinal stem cells, both of which differ in their properties from ventricular zone and subventricular zone-derived neural stem cells. A new chapter on cell death summarizes the important changes in the death pathway that occurs as stem cells mature. Special attention is paid to the derivation of neural cells from embryonic stem cells. Authoritative and up-to-date, "Neural Development and Stem Cells, Second Edition" provides neuroscientists with a handy guide to stem cells in the nervous system, tracing with great clarity the development of stem cells from differentiation to neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes.