For some time, C–X–C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) was thought to be the only CXCL12-specific receptor, and previous studies have reported a role of the CXCL12/CXCR4 pathway in regulating spontaneous epileptiform discharges in an animal model of epilepsy by modulating adult neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) region8–10. The gene discussed is CXCR4; the disease is epilepsy.