• Background strain: Sprague Dawley
• Copy number variations in Neurexin 1 have been linked to both ASD and schizophrenia
• Deletions in Neurexin 1 are present in ~0.5% of patients with ASD
• Neurexins are important for postsynaptic differentiation, especially so for GABA synaptic connections
• This model was created in collaboration with Autism Speaks and underwent phenotypic characterization by Dr. Richard Paylor.

Availability: Cryopreserved as heterozygous embryos
Zygosity: Heterozygous

This model contains a biallelic deletion of the neuroligin 3 gene (Nlgn3). Mutations in Nlgn3 have been linked with autism and Asperger's syndrome. This model is useful for understanding the role of neuroligins in the development of autism spectrum disorders.

Neuroligins are neuronal cell-surface proteins that bind with beta neurexins, spanning synapses.  Neuroligins may play a role in synaptic plasticity and mutations in neuroligin 3 have been associated with autism and Asperger syndrome.