title: Pax3(             GFP           ) , a new reporter for the melanocyte lineage, highlights novel aspects of PAX3 expression in the skin.
abstract: The paired box gene 3 (Pax3) is expressed during pigment cell development. We tested whether the targeted allele Pax3(GFP)  can be used as a reporter gene for pigment cells in the mouse. We found that enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) can be seen readily in every melanoblast and melanocyte in the epidermis and hair follicles of Pax3(GFP/+)  heterozygotes. The GFP was detected at all differentiation stages, including melanocyte stem cells. In the dermis, Schwann cells and nestin-positive cells of the piloneural collars resembling the nestin-positive hair follicle multipotent stem cells exhibited a weaker GFP signal. Pigment cells could be purified by fluorescent activated cell sorting and grown in vitro without feeder cells, giving pure cultures of melanocytes. The Schwann cells and nestin-positive cells of the piloneural collars were FACS-isolated based on their weak expression of GFP. Thus Pax3(GFP)  can discriminate distinct populations of cells in the skin.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR955 Génétique Fonctionnelle et Médicale, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Djian-Zaouche
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campagne
authors.forename: Edouard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reyes-Gomez
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gadin-Czerw
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bernex
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Louise
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Relaix
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buckingham
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Panthier
authors.forename: Geneviève
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aubin-Houzelstein
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D019070:Cell Lineage; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism; D020405:Dermis / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D017930:Genes, Reporter / Q000235:genetics*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D064231:Nestin; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D000072041:PAX3 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D010858:Pigmentation; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013535:Suspensions; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577485:Nes protein, mouse; D064231:Nestin; D000072041:PAX3 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D013535:Suspensions; C068686:Pax3 protein, mouse; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D001616:beta-Galactosidase