Exhibits strong synaptogenic activity, restricted to excitatory presynaptic differentiation, acting at both pre- and postsynaptic level. Accumulates extensively in the endoplasmic reticulum of transfected nonneuronal cells. Expressed predominantly in the nervous system by postmitotic neurons, but also in some non-neuronal tissues. In adult brain expression is most prominent in the forebraain, particularly in the thalamus and in the cortical areas including hippocampus, piriform and posterior cingulate. Initially detected at 9 dpc with expression present in the overlying ectoderm of the limb bud in the presumptive apical ectodermal ridge. Expression is also seen in the dorsal otic vesicle in the presumptive endolymphatic appendage. Neural expression is present in the forebrain and midbrain with a sharp boundary across the central midbrain. Expression is also seen in the hindbrain. A stripe of expression can be detected in the neural tube. At 10 and 11 dpc expression is restricted to the apical ectodermal ridge. Expression persists in the endolymphatic diverticular appendage of the otic vesicle the forebrain/midbrain and the ventricular layer of the central neural tube through these stages. Mutant animals survive in the expected Mendelian ratios, are fertile and display no overt phenotype. Brain morphology appears grossly normal, except for rare cases of anomalous ventroculomegaly. Increase in the presynaptic area occupied by SLC17A7/VGLUT1 in some strata of the hippocampal neuropil of the CA1 region. Belongs to the LRRTM family. The hands to say it - Issue 91 of February 2008