Pubertal development is unaffected in female Mecp2 -heterozygous mice.

Rett syndrome (RTT) affects predominantly females and is characterized by regression after an initial period of typical development. Previously, we showed that while adolescent female Mecp2 -heterozygous mice (Het, mouse model of RTT) perform pup retrieval comparably to wild-type littermate controls (WT), adult Het regress and become inefficient. Here, we analyzed the pubertal trajectory of naïve nulliparous WT and Het to test whether abnormal pubertal development contributes to this regression phenotype. We found no genotypic differences in pubertal onset nor estrous cyclicity during adolescence and adulthood. These findings further support the role of Mecp2 in experience-dependent plasticity within sensory cortices.