The lateral line system is simple (comprising six cell types), its sense organs form according to a defined and reproducible pattern, and its neurons are easily visualized. In the zebrafish, these advantages can be combined with a wealth of genetic tools, making this system ideally suited to a combined molecular, cellular and genetic analysis. Recent progress has taken advantage of these various qualities to elucidate the mechanism that drives the migration from head to tail of the sense organ precursor cells, and to approach the questions surrounding axonal guidance and target recognition.