Open AccessThe a“MAZE”ing World of Lung-Specific Transgenic Mice
Author(s) -
Emma L. Rawlins,
AnneKarina T. Perl
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
american journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.469
H-Index - 161
eISSN - 1535-4989
pISSN - 1044-1549
DOI - 10.1165/rcmb.2011-0372ps
Subject(s) - transgene , genetically modified mouse , lung , biology , medicine , genetics , gene
The purpose of this review is to give a comprehensive overview of transgenic mouse lines suitable for studying gene function and cellular lineage relationships in lung development, homeostasis, injury, and repair. Many of the mouse strains reviewed in this Perspective have been widely shared within the lung research community, and new strains are continuously being developed. There are many transgenic lines that target subsets of lung cells, but it remains a challenge for investigators to select the correct transgenic modules for their experiment. This review covers the tetracycline- and tamoxifen-inducible systems and focuses on conditional lines that target the epithelial cells. We point out the limitations of each strain so investigators can choose the system that will work best for their scientific question. Current mesenchymal and endothelial lines are limited by the fact that they are not lung specific. These lines are summarized in a brief overview. In addition, useful transgenic reporter mice for studying lineage relationships, promoter activity, and signaling pathways will complete our lung-specific conditional transgenic mouse shopping list.