Insights into human language
Insights into human language
In this issue
Feature
Latest publications
Frank’s blog
Ozgene Vivarium SPF
Geneoz news
Insights into human language
Have you ever wondered how humans evolved from primates? What makes us different? Why are humans the only animals capable of speech and language? The answers to these questions are exactly what Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Enard of the Ludwig-Maximillian University has focused his research on finding out.
The only gene that has been isolated to link speech and language development in humans is transcription factor Foxp2. Prof. Dr. Enard uses a mouse model humanised for Foxp2 to study how it alters the learning ability of mice.
Based on his research, it has been determined that Foxp2 causes changes in the cortico-basal ganglia circuits of the brain. It also affects dopamine concentrations, dendrite lengths and synaptic plasticity. It allows for a faster shift from place-based (declarative) to response-based (procedural) learning.
The genetically modified mice with human Foxp2 are able to learn stimulus-response associations more rapidly than their wild type counterparts. These findings may be the key to understanding the evolution of speech and language in humans.
For more information on Prof. Dr. Enard’s research, visit the Ludwig-Maximillian University website.
For more information on Ozgene mouse models, please see Ozgene services.
Latest publications
Neurobiol Dis. 2015 Mar 31.
Progressive dopaminergic alterations and mitochondrial abnormalities in LRRK2 G2019S knock in mice.
Yue M, Hinkle K, Davies P, Trushina E, Fiesel F, Christenson T, Schroeder A, Zhang L, Bowles E, Behrouz B, Lincoln S, Beevers J, Milnerwood A, Kurti A, McLean PJ, Fryer JD, Springer W, Dickson D, Farrer M, Melrose H. – Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, FL, USA; University of Dundee, Scotland, UK; Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Mayo Clinic Rochester, USA; Center for Applied Genetics, University of British Columbia, Canada. [read]
Mucosal Immunol. 2015 Mar 4.
Nuclear matrix binding protein SMAR1 regulates T-cell differentiation and allergic airway disease.
Chemmannur SV, Badhwar AJ, Mirlekar B, Malonia SK, Gupta M, Wadhwa N, Bopanna R, Mabalirajan U, Majumdar S, Ghosh B, Chattopadhyay S. – National Centre for Cell Science, Pune University, India. Piramal Enterprises, Mumbai, India; University of Massachusetts Medical School, USA; National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India; 5CSIR-Institute of Genomic and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India. [read]
Phenotyping – mouse making and beyond
Frank’s blog – Think of a large family where a few members have a particular illness or disease. They go to the hospital to get their DNA examined. This might lead the doctors to discover that these family members have a genetic change. They can then contact a company such as Ozgene and ask them to design and generate a mouse that has exactly the same genetic change as these family members. If these mice develop a similar disease, then one of the causes for that disease has been found.
Did you know – Ozgene Vivarium SPF
The Ozgene Vivarium is Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) and complies with major national and international research institutes. We systematically test for 51 pathogens, including bacteriology, molecular diagnostics, parasitology, and serology. The Ozgene Vivarium also includes a Quarantine Approved Premises (QAP) area for importing mouse strains.
Geneoz news – Dropbox sync
Geneoz news – Dropbox syncOzgene clients can follow the progress of their projects through myOzgene, featuring the project timeline and files containing project data and results. Are you an Ozgene client? Are you interested in having the project files sync directly with your Dropbox? Please let us know and become part of a trial to improve our project data access.
