The human-specific gene FRMPD2B couples postnatal experience to the expansion of cortical connectivity

FRMPD2B, a human-specific gene, is activity- and experience-regulated in postnatal cortico-cortical projection neurons and promotes dendritic, axonal, and synaptic development.

• Why it matters: The study addresses whether human-specific genetic changes shape activity-dependent mechanisms that assemble cortical circuits during the prolonged postnatal period.
• What they did: FRMPD2B expression was mapped as primarily postnatal and childhood-enriched in cortico-cortical projection neurons, and its role was tested in xenotransplanted human cortical neurons. It was also shown to be bidirectionally regulated by neuronal activity and experience, with promoter remodeling after partial gene duplication and a retrotransposon insertion.
• The result: FRMPD2B is required for proper morphogenesis in xenotransplanted human cortical neurons and supports a human-specific developmental program linking postnatal experience to cortical connectivity expansion.

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