The genealogy of genealogy of neurons

polyphyly) are discussed in the historical timeline starting from the 19th century. The recent genomic studies on Ctenophores re-initiated a broad interest in the hypotheses of independent origins of neurons. However, even earlier work on ctenophores suggested that their nervous systems are unique in many aspects of their organization and a possibility of the independent origin of neurons and synapses was introduced well before modern advances in genomic biology. In light of recent publications1-8 and a growing interest to dis-cover the origins of nervous system it is important to remember that the problem has been repeatedly addressed through the entire history of neuroscience.9-17 Unfortunately, some of the earliest papers on the topic are less accessible today and, some-times, they are forgotten. Here, I would like to briefly summarize several previous publications proposing the independent origin