PTEN, also known as Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog deleted on Chromosome 10, is a dual phosphatase with protein and lipid phosphatase activities. Its lipid phosphatase activity dephosphorylates phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-phosphate (PIP3), opposing PI3K/AKT activation, and thus regulating numerous cellular processes such as proliferation, survival, metabolism, cellular architecture, and motility. PTEN is a crucial tumor suppressor, and its deregulation is frequently observed in cancer [1,2,4,5,6].

Conditional Pten knockout mouse models have been generated to study its role during neurodevelopment and its implication for autism. These models help understand PTEN's spatiotemporal roles. Mutations in PTEN germline are associated with autism spectrum disorders characterized by social and communication impairments, repetitive behavior, and sometimes epilepsy [3].

In conclusion, PTEN is essential for regulating multiple cellular functions through its phosphatase activities and the PI3K/AKT pathway. The conditional knockout mouse models have been instrumental in revealing its role in neurodevelopmental disorders like autism, highlighting its significance in both normal biological processes and disease conditions [3].

References:

1. Worby, Carolyn A, Dixon, Jack E. . PTEN. In Annual review of biochemistry, 83, 641-69. doi:10.1146/annurev-biochem-082411-113907. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24905788/

2. Chen, Chien-Yu, Chen, Jingyu, He, Lina, Stiles, Bangyan L. 2018. PTEN: Tumor Suppressor and Metabolic Regulator. In Frontiers in endocrinology, 9, 338. doi:10.3389/fendo.2018.00338. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30038596/

3. Rademacher, Sebastian, Eickholt, Britta J. 2019. PTEN in Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. In Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in medicine, 9, . doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a036780. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31427284/

4. Álvarez-Garcia, Virginia, Tawil, Yasmine, Wise, Helen M, Leslie, Nicholas R. 2019. Mechanisms of PTEN loss in cancer: It's all about diversity. In Seminars in cancer biology, 59, 66-79. doi:10.1016/j.semcancer.2019.02.001. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30738865/

5. Liu, Anne, Zhu, Yanyu, Chen, Weiping, Merlino, Glenn, Yu, Yanlin. 2022. PTEN Dual Lipid- and Protein-Phosphatase Function in Tumor Progression. In Cancers, 14, . doi:10.3390/cancers14153666. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35954330/

6. Langdon, Casey G. 2023. Nuclear PTEN's Functions in Suppressing Tumorigenesis: Implications for Rare Cancers. In Biomolecules, 13, . doi:10.3390/biom13020259. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36830628/