title: A mouse line expressing Foxa2-driven Cre recombinase in node, notochord, floorplate, and endoderm.
abstract: Foxa2 is a forkhead transcription factor expressed in the node, notochord, floorplate, and definitive endoderm and is required in the foregut endoderm for the normal development of the endoderm-derived organs, such as the liver, lung and pancreas. To conditionally inactivate genes in these tissues and organs, we have targeted a Cre recombinase into Exon 1 of the Foxa2 gene. We show, upon crossing to the ROSA26 reporter mice, that Cre expression from the Foxa2(iCre) knock-in allele specifically activates beta-galactosidase expression in the node, notochord, floorplate, and endoderm. In addition, we detect Cre recombination activity in the endoderm-derived organs including lung, liver, pancreas, and gastrointestinal tract throughout development. These results demonstrate that the Foxa2(iCre) knock-in mice are a valuable tool to analyze gene function in endoderm progenitors and endoderm-derived organs. Moreover, the widespread beta-galactosidase reporter activity in the endoderm suggests that Foxa2 marks a progenitor cell population, which gives rise to the majority of cells in endoderm-derived organs.
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Zentrum München, Institute of Stem Cell Research, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Uetzmann
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Burtscher
authors.forename: Heiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lickert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D004707:Endoderm / Q000378:metabolism*; D055879:Gene Knock-In Techniques; D051542:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019426:Integrases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009672:Notochord / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C496502:FOXA2 protein, human; D051542:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-beta; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases