Developmental loss of NMDA receptors results in supernumerary forebrain neurons through delayed maturation of transit-amplifying neuroblasts.

Developmental neurogenesis is a tightly regulated spatiotemporal process with its dysregulation implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. NMDA receptors are glutamate-gated ion channels that are widely expressed in the early nervous system, yet their contribution to neurogenesis is poorly understood. Notably, a variety of mutations in genes encoding NMDA receptor subunits are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Loss of NMDA receptor function during development results in decreased KCC2 expression and increased neurons in the zebrafish forebrain.

Developmental neurogenesis is a tightly regulated spatiotemporal process with its dysregulation implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. NMDA receptors are glutamate-gated ion channels that are widely expressed in the early nervous system, yet their contribution to neurogenesis is poorly understood. Notably, a variety of mutations in genes encoding NMDA receptor subunits are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Disruption of grin2B, an ASD-associated gene, produces social deficits in zebrafish.

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), like many neurodevelopmental disorders, has complex and varied etiologies. Advances in genome sequencing have identified multiple candidate genes associated with ASD, including dozens of missense and nonsense mutations in the NMDAR subunit GluN2B, encoded by GRIN2B. NMDARs are glutamate-gated ion channels with key synaptic functions in excitatory neurotransmission.

A Model to Study NMDA Receptors in Early Nervous System Development.

-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are glutamate-gated ion channels that play critical roles in neuronal development and nervous system function. Here, we developed a model to study NMDARs in early development in zebrafish, by generating CRISPR-mediated lesions in the NMDAR genes, and , which encode the obligatory GluN1 subunits. While receptors containing or show high Ca permeability, like their mammalian counterpart, is expressed earlier and more broadly in development than Both and zebrafish are viable.