Pre- and postsynaptic MEF2C promote experience-dependent, input-specific development of cortical Layer 4 to Layer 2/3 excitatory synapses and regulate activity-dependent expression of synaptic cell adhesion molecules

Experience- and activity-dependent transcription is a candidate mechanism to mediate development and refinement of specific cortical circuits. Here, we demonstrate that the activity-dependent transcription factor myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) is required in both presynaptic layer (L) 4 and postsynaptic L2/3 mouse (male and female) somatosensory (S1) cortical neurons for development of this specific synaptic connection. While postsynaptic deletion of