Premium
Tissue‐specific and inducible Cre‐mediated recombination in the gut epithelium
Author(s) -
El Marjou Fatima,
Janssen KlausPeter,
HungJunn Chang Benny,
Li Mei,
Hindie Valérie,
Chan Lawrence,
Louvard Daniel,
Chambon Pierre,
Metzger Daniel,
Robine Sylvie
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.20042
Subject(s) - villin , cre recombinase , biology , intestinal epithelium , transgene , gene targeting , microbiology and biotechnology , epithelium , somatic cell , genetically modified mouse , gene , genetics , actin
We generated two complementary systems for Cre‐mediated recombination of target genes in the mouse digestive epithelium and tested them with a Cre‐reporter mouse strain. Cre was expressed under the control of a 9 kb regulatory region of the murine villin gene (vil‐Cre). Genetic recombination was initiated at embryonic day (E) 9 in the visceral endoderm, and by E12.5 in the entire intestinal epithelium, but not in other tissues. Cre expression was maintained throughout adulthood. Furthermore, transgenic mice bearing a tamoxifen‐dependent Cre recombinase (vil‐Cre‐ER T2 ) expressed under the control of the villin promoter were created to perform targeted spatiotemporally controlled somatic recombination. After tamoxifen treatment, recombination was detectable throughout the digestive epithelium. The recombined locus persisted for 60 days after tamoxifen administration, despite rapid intestinal cell renewal, indicating that epithelial progenitor cells had been targeted. The villin‐Cre and villin‐Cre‐ER T2 mice provide valuable tools for studies of cell lineage allocation and gene function in the developing and adult intestine. genesis 39:186–193, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.