A key role for CEP63 in brain development and fertility discovered

(Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)) The protein CEP63 is crucial for the correct division of brain stem cells. In its absence, mice reproduce Seckel syndrome. The scientists rescued the microcephaly during mouse embryonic development by removing a protein that caused the loss of stem cells.Also, CEP63-depleted male mice are infertile. The relationship between this protein and sperm production is revealed for the first time.