Neonatal apneic phenotype in a murine congenital central hypoventilation syndrome model is induced through non-cell autonomous developmental mechanisms.

Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) represents a rare genetic disorder usually caused by mutations in the homeodomain transcription factor PHOX2B. Some CCHS patients suffer mainly from deficiencies in CO and/or O respiratory chemoreflex, whereas other patients present with full apnea shortly after birth. Our goal was to identify the neuropathological mechanisms of apneic presentations in CCHS.