Neurocan is dispensable for brain development.

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Zhou XH, Brakebusch C, Matthies H, Oohashi T, Hirsch E, Moser M, Krug M, Seidenbecher CI, Boeckers TM, Rauch U, Buettner R, Gundelfinger ED, Fassler R

Neurocan is dispensable for brain development.

Mol Cell Biol. 2001 Sep;21(17):5970-8. doi: 10.1128/mcb.21.17.5970-5978.2001.

PubMed ID

11486035 [ View in PubMed

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Abstract

Neurocan is a component of the extracellular matrix in brain. Due to its inhibition of neuronal adhesion and outgrowth in vitro and its expression pattern in vivo it was suggested to play an important role in axon guidance and neurite growth. To study the role of neurocan in brain development we generated neurocan-deficient mice by targeted disruption of the neurocan gene. These mice are viable and fertile and have no obvious deficits in reproduction and general performance. Brain anatomy, morphology, and ultrastructure are similar to those of wild-type mice. Perineuronal nets surrounding neurons appear largely normal. Mild deficits in synaptic plasticity may exist, as maintenance of late-phase hippocampal long-term potentiation is reduced. These data indicate that neurocan has either a redundant or a more subtle function in the development of the brain.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets

Drug	Target	Kind	Organism	Pharmacological Action	Actions
Hyaluronic acid	Neurocan core protein	Protein	Humans	Unknown	Binder	Details