title: Pitx2 deletion in pituitary gonadotropes is compatible with gonadal development, puberty, and fertility.
abstract: This report introduces a gonadotrope-specific cre transgenic mouse capable of ablating floxed genes in mature pituitary gonadotropes. Initial analysis of this transgenic line, Tg(Lhb-cre)1Sac, reveals that expression is limited to the pituitary cells that produce luteinizing hormone beta, beginning appropriately at e17.5. Cre activity is detectable by a reporter gene in nearly every LHbeta-producing cell, but the remaining hormone-producing cell types and other organs exhibit little to no activity. We used the Tg(Lhb-cre)1Sac strain to assess the role Pitx2 in gonadotrope function. The gonadotrope-specific Pitx2 knockout mice exhibit normal expression of LHbeta, sexual maturation, and fertility, suggesting that Pitx2 is not required for gonadotrope maintenance or for regulated production of gonadotropins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0618, USA.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Charles
authors.forename: Amanda H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Mortensen
authors.forename: Mary Anne
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Potok
authors.forename: Sally A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Camper
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D052681:Gonadotrophs / Q000378:metabolism*; D006066:Gonads / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D000097577:Homeobox Protein PITX2
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D019426:Integrases; D010907:Pituitary Hormones; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000097577:Homeobox Protein PITX2; C045073:Cre recombinase