title: Comprehensive application of an mtDsRed2-Tg mouse strain for mitochondrial imaging.
abstract: Mitochondria are essential for many cellular functions such as oxidative phosphorylation and calcium homeostasis; consequently, mitochondrial dysfunction could cause many diseases, including neurological disorders. Recently, mitochondrial dynamics, such as fusion, fission, and transportation, have been visualized in living cells by using time-lapse imaging systems. The changes in mitochondrial morphology could be an indicator for estimating the activity of mitochondrial biological function. Here, we report a transgenic mouse strain, mtDsRed2-Tg, which expresses a red fluorescent protein, DsRed2, exclusively in mitochondria. Mitochondrial morphology could be clearly observed in various tissues of this strain under confocal microscope. Recently, many transgenic mouse strains in which enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-tagged proteins of interest are expressed have been established for physiological analysis in vivo. After mating these strains with mtDsRed2-Tg mice, red-colored mitochondria and green-colored proteins were detected simultaneously using fluorescent imaging systems, and the interactions between mitochondria and those proteins could be morphologically analyzed in cells and tissues of the F(1) hybrids. Thus, mtDsRed2-Tg mice can be a powerful tool for bioimaging studies on mitochondrial functions.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Transgenic Technology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 1-6, Kamikitazawa 2-chome, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan.
authors.forename: Junya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishiyama
authors.forename: Midori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimanuki
authors.forename: Tomio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Akitsugu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Kazuto
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakada
authors.forename: Jun-Ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Hiromichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yonekawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shitara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007668:Kidney / Q000201:enzymology; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D059008:Time-Lapse Imaging; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein
chemical_list: D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein