title: [A transgenic mouse that targets the expression of Cre recombinase in hepatocyte].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To construct a mouse that specifically expresses Cre recombinase in hepatocyte.
  
  
  METHODS
  A hepatocyte specific transgenic construct containing mouse albumin promoter, the Cre recombinase gene and the poly (A) of human growth factor gene was generated. The linearized constructs were introduced into the fertilized eggs by microinjection to obtain the transgenic mice. The transcriptional specificity of Cre recombinase was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expression and function of Cre recombinase were detected by PCR and Southern Blot after crossing the Alb-Cre transgenic mice with the Smad4 conditional knockout mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The linearized constructs were microinjected into 837 fertilized eggs, and then the 797 effective eggs of microinjected eggs were implanted into the oviducts of 27 pseudo pregnant mice. In the 53 offspring, there were 6 mice carrying the transgene identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern Blot. Cre recombinase transcripts were detected in the livers and testis of the Alb-Cre transgenic mice using RT-PCR. The Cre recombinase was expressed in the livers of the double heterozygous for Alb-Cre and Smad4 floxed allele, and the exon 8 floxed by loxP site was deleted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A hepatocyte-specific Cre transgenic mouse was generated successfully. The Cre recombinase expressed specifically in liver and could mediate the recombination between loxP sites in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Genetic Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing 100071, China.
authors.forename: You-liang
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Ya-xin
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases