Expression of human-specific ARHGAP11B in mice leads to neocortex expansion and increased memory flexibility.

ABSTRACT: Neocortex expansion during human evolution provides a basis for our enhanced cognitive abilities. Yet, which genes implicated in neocortex expansion are actually responsible for higher cognitive abilities is unknown. The expression of human-specific ARHGAP11B in embryonic/foetal mouse, ferret and marmoset neocortex was previously found to promote basal progenitor proliferation, upper-layer neuron generation and neocortex expansion during development, features commonly thought to contribute to increased cognitive abilities. However, a key question is whether this phenotype persists into adulthood and if so, whether cognitive abilities are indeed increased. Here, we generated a transgenic mouse line with physiological ARHGAP11B expression that exhibits increased neocortical size and upper-la

SUBMITTER: Xing L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8246068 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature