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Conditional gene deletion in primary nociceptive neurons of trigeminal ganglia and dorsal root ganglia
Author(s) -
Agarwal Nitin,
Offermanns Stefan,
Kuner Rohini
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
genesis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.093
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1526-968X
pISSN - 1526-954X
DOI - 10.1002/gene.20010
Subject(s) - cre recombinase , neuroscience , nociception , biology , spinal cord , sensory system , transgene , trigeminal ganglion , cre lox recombination , nociceptor , genetically modified mouse , gene , anatomy , genetics , receptor
The use of Cre‐loxP technology for conditional mutagenesis in pain pathways had been restricted by the unavailability of mice expressing Cre recombinase selectively in functionally distinct components of the nociceptive system. Here we describe the generation of transgenic mouse lines which express Cre recombinase selectively in sensory ganglia using promoter elements of the Na v 1.8 gene (Scn10a). Cre‐mediated recombination was greatly evident in all nociceptive and thermoreceptive neurons of the dorsal root ganglia and trigeminal ganglia, but only in a small proportion of proprioceptive neurons. Cre‐mediated recombination was not detectable in the brain, spinal cord, or any nonneural tissues and began perinatally after invasion of primary afferents into the developing spinal cord. Thus, these mice enable selective deletion of genes in subsets of sensory neurons and offer a wide scope for studying potential functions of genes in pain perception, independent of secondary effects arising from developmental defects or global gene ablation. genesis 38:122–129, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.