Highlights • AAV can be targeted to reactive astrocytes upon stab wound injury • Expression of Ngn2 and Nurr1 in these astrocytes induces pyramidal neurons • Induced pyramidal neurons acquire correct layer identity and axonal projections • Neurons cannot be induced in the white matter Summary Astrocytes are particularly promising candidates for reprogramming into neurons, as they maintain some of the original patterning information from their radial glial ancestors.
