title: Inducible Cre recombinase activity in mouse mature astrocytes and adult neural precursor cells.
abstract: Two transgenic mouse lines expressing an inducible form of the Cre recombinase (CreER) under the control of the human GFAP promoter have been generated and characterized. In adult mice, expression of the fusion protein is largely confined to astrocytes in all regions of the central nervous system. Minimal spontaneous Cre activity was detected and recombination was efficiently induced by intraperitoneal administration of tamoxifen in adult mice. The pattern of recombination closely mirrored that of transgene expression. The percentage of astrocytes undergoing recombination varied from region to region ranging from 35% to 70% while a much smaller portion (<1%) of oligodendrocytes and neural precursor cells showed evidence of Cre activity. These mouse lines will provide important tools to dissect gene function in glial cells and in gliomagenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 332 North Lauderdale Street, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
authors.forename: Lionel M L
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Junyuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Suzanne J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019426:Integrases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009420:Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases