Gene-edited SHANK-3 mutant macaques display autism behavior

Shank mutant mice as an animal model of autism.

In this review, we focus on the role of the Shank family of proteins in autism. In recent years, autism research has been flourishing. With genetic, molecular, imaging and electrophysiological studies being supported by behavioural studies using animal models, there is real hope that we may soon understand the fundamental pathology of autism. There is also genuine potential to develop a molecul...

Modeling Autism by SHANK Gene Mutations in Mice

Shank family proteins (Shank1, Shank2, and Shank3) are synaptic scaffolding proteins that organize an extensive protein complex at the postsynaptic density (PSD) of excitatory glutamatergic synapses. Recent human genetic studies indicate that SHANK family genes (SHANK1, SHANK2, and SHANK3) are causative genes for idiopathic autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Neurobiological studies of Shank mutat...

CRISPR/Cas9-induced shank3b mutant zebrafish display autism-like behaviors

Background Human genetic and genomic studies have supported a strong causal role of SHANK3 deficiency in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the molecular mechanism underlying SHANK3 deficiency resulting in ASD is not fully understood. Recently, the zebrafish has become an attractive organism to model ASD because of its high efficiency of genetic manipulation and robust behavioral phenotyp...

MTHFR rs1801133 Gene Polymorphism and Autism Susceptibility

Background: It is believed that environmental and genetic factors may be responsible for autism. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and its gene polymorphisms have been shown to be implicated as risk factors in autism. Objectives: To analyze MTHFR C677T polymorphism (rs1801133) in autistic patients. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in 2014 and 2015 in northern Ir...

A Video - Display Approach to Environmental Enrichment for Macaques