Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026
07:40
Dissection of the Auditory Bulla in Postnatal Mice: Isolation of the Middle Ear Bones and Histological Analysis
Published on: January 4, 2017
Hoxb8 is required for normal grooming behavior in mice
Joy M Greer1, Mario R Capecchi
1Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
Neuron
|January 10, 2002
Summary
Mice lacking the Hoxb8 gene exhibit excessive grooming, leading to self-inflicted hair loss and lesions. This suggests Hoxb8 plays a crucial role in regulating grooming behavior within the central nervous system (CNS).
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Grooming behaviors are essential for survival across many species, including humans.
- The specific genes controlling complex grooming behaviors remain largely unidentified.
- Aberrant grooming can manifest as pathological conditions, such as trichotillomania in humans.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify genes influencing grooming behavior.
- To investigate the role of Hoxb8 in the regulation of grooming.
- To explore the potential link between Hoxb8 and compulsive behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Generation and behavioral analysis of mice with disrupted Hoxb8 genes.
- Assessment of skin and peripheral nervous system (PNS) for abnormalities.
- Analysis of Hoxb8 gene expression in the adult mouse central nervous system (CNS).
Main Results:
- Mice with Hoxb8 disruptions displayed excessive grooming, resulting in hair loss and skin lesions with 100% penetrance.
- No skin or PNS abnormalities were detected in the Hoxb8 mutant mice.
- Hoxb8 expression was confirmed in CNS regions associated with grooming control and the 'OCD-circuit.'
Conclusions:
- The study implicates Hoxb8 as a critical regulator of grooming behavior.
- Abnormal Hoxb8 function leads to excessive, pathological grooming, likely due to CNS abnormalities.
- Hoxb8 may represent a genetic link to obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders like trichotillomania.
Related Concept Videos
01:58X-Inactivation
The human X chromosome contains over ten times the number of genes as in the Y chromosome. Since males have only one X chromosome, and females have two, one might expect females to produce twice as many of the proteins, with undesirable results.
02:33Hedgehog Signaling Pathway
The Hedgehog gene (Hh) was first discovered due to its control of the growth of disorganized, hair-like bristles phenotype in Drosophila, much like hedgehog spines. Hh plays a crucial role in the development of organs and the maintenance of homeostasis in both invertebrates and vertebrates. However, while Drosophila has only one Hh protein, mammals have multiple functional Hedgehog proteins - Sonic (Shh), Desert (Dhh), and Indian Hedgehog (Ihh). All of these homologous proteins have adapted to...
02:33Hedgehog Signaling Pathway
The Hedgehog gene (Hh) was first discovered due to its control of the growth of disorganized, hair-like bristles phenotype in Drosophila, much like hedgehog spines. Hh plays a crucial role in the development of organs and the maintenance of homeostasis in both invertebrates and vertebrates. However, while Drosophila has only one Hh protein, mammals have multiple functional Hedgehog proteins - Sonic (Shh), Desert (Dhh), and Indian Hedgehog (Ihh). All of these homologous proteins have adapted to...