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Transgenic expression of Cre recombinase in mitral/tufted cells of the olfactory bulb
Author(s) -
Nagai Yumiko,
Sano Hiromi,
Yokoi Mineto
Publication year - 2005
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.20146
Subject(s) - cre recombinase , olfactory bulb , biology , genetically modified mouse , transgene , recombinase , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , neuroscience , gene , central nervous system , recombination
Olfactory information is conveyed from the periphery to the olfactory cortices through mitral and tufted (M/T) cells in the olfactory bulb. A mouse with a specific expression of Cre recombinase in M/T cells is essential for genetic marking of M/T cells and manipulating their properties. Protocadherin 21 (Pcdh21) expression is highly restricted to M/T cells. Here we report a transgenic mouse line, Pcdh21‐Cre, in which ˜10‐kb mouse Pcdh21 promoter drives the expression of Cre recombinase. In Pcdh21‐Cre mice, Cre recombinase activity is predominantly detected in M/T cells, visualized with the anti‐CFP immunostaining in offspring of a cross between Pcdh21‐Cre and the reporter Rosa26‐loxP‐stop‐loxP‐CFP strain. These results demonstrate that the ˜10‐kb Pcdh21 promoter can drive transcription in M/T cells and Pcdh21‐Cre mice can be used to excise floxed DNA fragments in M/T cells, which provides a valuable tool to reveal the structure and function of the central olfactory circuits. genesis 43:12–16, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.