Ad hoc and sensor networks have a wide range of potential, practical and useful applications. Efficient hierarchical cluster organization plays an important role in wireless network systems without centralized control or infrastructure. In cluster-based wireless networks, in order to select a few dominating nodes to form a virtual backbone that supports routing and other tasks, such as broadcasting, area monitoring, etc., most of the published research regarding construction of connected dominating sets (CDS) in the literature has focused on selecting a small nodes set for high efficient performance based on different assumptions and design objectives. A review on more than 20 CDS construction mechanisms based on various assumptions, design objectives and performance results is provided in this paper. Some future research directions in this area are also pointed out.