Generation of transgenic tendon reporters, ScxGFP and ScxAP, using regulatory elements of the scleraxis gene.
Defects in tendon patterning and differentiation are seldom assessed in mouse mutants due to the difficulty in visualizing connective tissue structures. To facilitate tendon analysis, we have generated mouse lines harboring two different transgene reporters, alkaline phosphatase (AP) and green fluorescent protein (GFP), each expressed using regulatory elements derived from the endogenous Scleraxis (Scx) locus. Scx encodes a transcription factor expressed in all developing tendons and ligaments as well as in their progenitors. Both the ScxGFP and ScxAP transgenes are expressed in patterns recapitulating almost entirely the endogenous developmental expression of Scx including very robust expression in the tendons and ligaments. These reporter lines will facilitate isolation of tendon cells and phenotypic analysis of these tissues in a variety of genetic backgrounds.
Pryce
Brian A
BA
Shriners Hospital for Children, Research Division, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA.
Brent
Ava E
AE
Murchison
Nicholas D
ND
Tabin
Clifford J
CJ
Schweitzer
Ronen
R
D000818:Animals; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005121:Extremities / Q000196:embryology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics*; D017930:Genes, Reporter / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D013710:Tendons / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; C503815:Scx protein, mouse