title: A powerful transgenic tool for fate mapping and functional analysis of newly generated neurons.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lack of appropriate tools and techniques to study fate and functional integration of newly generated neurons has so far hindered understanding of neurogenesis' relevance under physiological and pathological conditions. Current analyses are either dependent on mitotic labeling, for example BrdU-incorporation or retroviral infection, or on the detection of transient immature neuronal markers. Here, we report a transgenic mouse model (DCX-CreERT2) for time-resolved fate analysis of newly generated neurons. This model is based on the expression of a tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase under the control of a doublecortin (DCX) promoter, which is specific for immature neuronal cells in the CNS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the DCX-CreERT2 transgenic mice, expression of CreERT2 was restricted to DCX+ cells. In the CNS of transgenic embryos and adult DCX-CreERT2 mice, tamoxifen administration caused the transient translocation of CreERT2 to the nucleus, allowing for the recombination of loxP-flanked sequences. In our system, tamoxifen administration at E14.5 resulted in reporter gene activation throughout the developing CNS of transgenic embryos. In the adult CNS, neurogenic regions were the primary sites of tamoxifen-induced reporter gene activation. In addition, reporter expression could also be detected outside of neurogenic regions in cells physiologically expressing DCX (e.g. piriform cortex, corpus callosum, hypothalamus). Four weeks after recombination, the vast majority of reporter-expressing cells were found to co-express NeuN, revealing the neuronal fate of DCX+ cells upon maturation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This first validation demonstrates that our new DCX-CreERT2 transgenic mouse model constitutes a powerful tool to investigate neurogenesis, migration and their long-term fate of neuronal precursors. Moreover, it allows for a targeted activation or deletion of specific genes in neuronal precursors and will thereby contribute to unravel the molecular mechanisms controlling neurogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jingzhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giesert
authors.forename: Karina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kloos
authors.forename: Daniela M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Vogt Weisenhorn
authors.forename: Ludwig
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aigner
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wurst
authors.forename: Sebastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Couillard-Despres
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000235:genetics; D000089622:Doublecortin Domain Proteins; D000089662:Doublecortin Protein; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D019426:Integrases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology; D019076:Transgenes / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C000714847:Dcx protein, mouse; D000089622:Doublecortin Domain Proteins; D000089662:Doublecortin Protein; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D013629:Tamoxifen; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases