Callosal commissural neurons of Dab1 deficient mutant mouse, yotari

The yotari mouse is an autosomal recessive mutant mouse, caused by mutation of disabled homolog 1 (Dab1) gene. The mutant mouse is recognized by unstable gait and tremor and by early deaths around at the time of weaning. The cytoarchitectures of cerebeller and cerebral cortices and hippocampal formation of the yotari mouse are abnormal. These malformations strikingly resemble those of reeler mouse. In the present study we examined the callosal commissural (CC) neurons of yotari, reeler and normal mice with the injection of recombinant adenovirus into the frontal area 1 (Fr1) to find some possible phenotypes specific for the yotari mouse. The distribution pattern of CC neurons of the yotari was similar to that of the reeler: retrogradely labeled CC neurons were seen throughout all depths of the contralateral Fr1. However, the present statistical analysis revealed that the difference of the mean intracortical position of the CC neurons between the yotari and the reeler is significantly different (Student's t-test), suggesting that the phenotype of the yotari is clearly different from that of the reeler.