Exploring a new role for MeCP2 in hippocampal neurons; implications for neurodevelopmental disorders

MeCP2 is an important protein in the brain that regulates gene expression, and misfunction of this protein can have a role in certain childhood brain developmental disorders, including Rett Syndrome. MeCP2 is present in many different cell types of the brain, but it has an exceptionally high level in the nerve cells (neurons) of the brain. As such, its impaired functional properties in these cells may have significant neurodevelopmental consequences. In this study, we use a specific mouse model of Rett Syndrome, to study the role of MeCP2 in a particular brain region that is important for memory formation. Our research includes macular and cellular studies at different developmental stages of both the male and female affected mice. The outcome of this collaborative project is expected to help understanding the role of MeCP2 and neuronal sub-types in Rett Syndrome and other childhood neurodevelopment-related conditions. The results of this research may also be relevant to brain-related conditions in adulthood that are connected to altered MeCP2 expression.