Ferritin H gene deletion in the choroid plexus and forebrain results in hydrocephalus

• Mice with a brain-specific ferritin H gene inactivation were generated.
• A hydrocephalus phenotype was observed.
• No change in brain tissue iron content and not much apoptosis was observed.

Ferritin H, the major iron storage protein, has essential functions in early embryonic development as well as in adult liver and intestine. To address the question whether ferritin H has similarly essential functions in the brain we used the Cre/loxP system to generate mice with a forebrain-specific inactivation of the ferritin H gene. Ferritin H deficiency in most cells of the forebrain including cells of the choroid plexus caused accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the lateral ventricles and the subarachnoid space. Brain tissue iron content was unchanged.