Sex-specific astrocyte regulation of spinal motor circuits by Nkx6.1.

ABSTRACT: Astrocytes exhibit diverse cellular and molecular properties across the central nervous system (CNS). Recent studies identified region-specific transcription factors (TF) that oversee these diverse properties; how sex differences intersect with region-specific transcriptional programs to regulate astrocyte function is unknown. Here, we show that the TF Nkx6.1 is specifically expressed in ventral astrocytes of the spinal cord and that its deletion results in sex-specific effects on astrocyte morphology. Astrocytes from males exhibit enhanced morphological complexity, accompanied by increased motor function and cholinergic synapses. In contrast, female astrocytes exhibit reduced complexity and no changes in motor function. Mechanistically, we found that Nkx6.1 exhibits sex-specific DNA-bindi

SUBMITTER: Bosquez Huerta NA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11932065 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature