FOXP2 exhibits neuron class specific expression, but is not required for multiple aspects of cortical histogenesis
Abstract
The expression patterns of the transcription factor FOXP2 in the developing mammalian forebrain have been described, and some studies have tested the role of this protein in the development and function of specific forebrain circuits by diverse methods and in multiple species. Clinically, mutations in FOXP2 are associated with severe developmental speech disturbances, and molecular studies indicate that impairment of Foxp2 may lead to dysregulation of genes involved in forebrain histogenesis. Here, anatomical and molecular phenotypes of the cortical neuron populations that express FOXP2 were characterized in mice. Additionally, Foxp2 was removed from the developing mouse cortex at different prenatal ages using two Cre-recombinase driver lines. Detailed molecular and circuit analyses were undertaken to identify potential disruptions of development. Surprisingly, the results demonstrate that Foxp2 function is not required for many functions that it has been proposed to regulate, and therefore plays a more limited role in cortical development than previously thought.
Data availability
All numbers relating to quantitative experiments have been uploaded to Dryad. https://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.6hd7bf7
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Data from: FOXP2 exhibits neuron class specific expression, but is not required for multiple aspects of cortical histogenesisDryad Digital Repository, 10.5061/dryad.6hd7bf7.
Article and author information
Author details
Funding
National Institute of Mental Health (MH067842)
- Ryan J Kast
- Alexandra L Lanjewar
- Colton D Smith
- Pat Levitt
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
- Ryan J Kast
Simms/Mann Institute and Foundation
- Pat Levitt
National Institutes of Health (T32GM113859)
- Alexandra L Lanjewar
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Ethics
Animal experimentation: All animal procedures used in this study were in strict accordance with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the National Institutes of Health. The protocol was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at Children's Hospital Los Angeles (Protocol #374-15).
Copyright
© 2019, Kast et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
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