The invention provides methods and materials related to the regulation of nucleic acid expression. Specifically, the invention provides midbrain-specific and NS-specific regulatory elements as well as regulatory elements that potentiate nucleic acid expression and regulatory elements that cooperate with other regulatory elements. In addition, the invention provides temporal regulatory elements that regulate nucleic acid expression in a temporal manner. Further, the invention provides nucleic acid constructs that contain these regulatory elements in combination with selected nucleic acid sequences. The invention also provides cells and animals that contain these regulatory elements and constructs as well as methods of providing an animal with a selected nucleic acid sequence that is expressed in a tissue-specific or temporal manner.