Thyrocyte-specific expression of Cre recombinase in transgenic mice.
A transgenic mouse line that expresses Cre recombinase under control of the human thyroid peroxidase (TPO) gene promoter was established. The activity and specificity of the TPO-driven Cre recombinase were examined by using Northern blotting and by crossing with the ROSA26 reporter transgenic mouse line. In the latter mice, Cre-mediated recombination occurred only in the thyrocytes, and recombination commenced around embryonic day 14.5, at the time during thyroid organogenesis when TPO expression begins. This study demonstrates that the TPO-Cre transgenic mouse is a powerful tool to specifically delete loxP-inserted (floxed) genes in thyrocytes and will be of great value in the study of thyrocyte-specific genes during development and/or in adult thyroids.
Laboratory of Metabolism, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Takashi
T
Kusakabe
Akio
A
Kawaguchi
Rumi
R
Kawaguchi
Lionel
L
Feigenbaum
Shioko
S
Kimura
D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000235:genetics; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005697:Galactosides; D018390:Gene Targeting / Q000379:methods*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007211:Indoles; D019426:Integrases / Q000378:metabolism*; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase / Q000235:genetics; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D038081:Organogenesis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*
D001324:Autoantigens; D005697:Galactosides; D007211:Indoles; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins; C056658:TPO protein, human; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases; C044888:5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl beta-galactoside