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Fate of retinoic acid–activated embryonic cell lineages
Author(s) -
Dollé Pascal,
Fraulob Valérie,
GallegoLlamas Jabier,
Vermot Julien,
Niederreither Karen
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
developmental dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.634
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1097-0177
pISSN - 1058-8388
DOI - 10.1002/dvdy.22479
Subject(s) - biology , retinoic acid , transgene , embryonic stem cell , microbiology and biotechnology , cell fate determination , genetically modified mouse , reporter gene , limb bud , receptor , embryogenesis , retinoic acid receptor , embryonic heart , cell , transcription factor , embryo , genetics , gene , gene expression
Retinoic acid (RA), a vitamin A derivative, is synthesized by specific cell populations and acts as a diffusible embryonic signal activating ligand‐inducible transcription factors, the RA receptors (RARs). RA‐activatable transgenic systems have revealed many discrete, transient sites of RA action during development. However, there has been no attempt to permanently label the RA‐activated cell lineages during mouse ontogenesis. We describe the characterization of a RA‐activatable Cre transgene, which through crosses with a conditional reporter strain (the ROSA26R lacZ reporter), leads to a stable labeling of the cell populations experiencing RA signaling during embryogenesis. RA response‐element (RARE) ‐driven Cre activity mimics at early stages the known activity of the corresponding RARE‐ lacZ transgene (Rossant et al.,1991). Stable labeling of the Cre‐excised cell populations allows to trace the distribution of the RA‐activated cell lineages at later stages. These are described in relationship with current models of RA activity in various developmental systems, including the embryonic caudal region, limb buds, hindbrain, sensory organs, and heart. Developmental Dynamics 239:3260–3274, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.