Parallel in vivo analysis of large-effect autism genes implicates cortical neurogenesis and estrogen in risk and resilience.

Gene Ontology analyses of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) risk genes have repeatedly highlighted synaptic function and transcriptional regulation as key points of convergence. However, these analyses rely on incomplete knowledge of gene function across brain development. Here we leverage Xenopus tropicalis to study in vivo ten genes with the strongest statistical evidence for association with ASD.

Cell stress in cortical organoids impairs molecular subtype specification.

Cortical organoids are self-organizing three-dimensional cultures that model features of the developing human cerebral cortex. However, the fidelity of organoid models remains unclear. Here we analyse the transcriptomes of individual primary human cortical cells from different developmental periods and cortical areas.