Functional analysis of CTCF for generating neuronal diversity and neuronal networks

我产生了有丝分裂后神经元特异性CTCF条件敲除小鼠，并研究了大脑的作用和成簇Pcdh基因的调控。CTCF-cKO小鼠表现出生长迟缓、行为异常，并在一个月内死亡。基因表达谱表现出显着下调成簇的原钙粘蛋白基因。我检查了CTCF-cKO小鼠的躯体感觉皮层结构，发现桶状结构在CTCF-cKO小鼠中消失。我还发现CTCF缺陷导致神经元成熟过程中树突和棘形成的形态学变化。这些结果表明，CTCF是所需的躯体感觉地图和随机表达的群集Pcdh基因在神经元中的细化。

I generated postmitotic neurons specific CTCF conditional knockout mice and investigated the role of the brain and the regulation of clustered Pcdh genes. The CTCF-cKO mice exhibited growth retardation, abnormal behavior, and died within one month. Gene expression profile exhibited significant downregulation of clustered Protocadherin genes. I examined structure of somatosensory cortex and found that barrel structure was disappeared in the CTCF-cKO mice. I also found that the CTCF deficiency lead to morphological changes of dendrite and spine formation during neuronal maturation. These results indicate that CTCF is required for the refinement of somatosensory maps and stochastic expression of clustered Pcdh genes in neurons.