title: Genetic Cre-loxP assessment of epicardial cell fate using Wt1-driven Cre alleles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Wt1-Cre-based tools are important reagents for studying epicardial cell fate and gene function.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To better describe the properties of Wt1-Cre-based tools to enhance their use in Cre-loxP-based experiments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In contrast to recently reported results, we show that constitutive Wt1(GFPCre) in combination with certain Cre-activated reporters can be used to trace (pro) epicardial cell fate. Wt1(CreERT2) can be efficiently induced by tamoxifen administration. We show substantial labeling of coronary endothelial cells when induction is performed at late but not early stages of heart development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wt1-based Cre alleles are useful tools for genetic lineage tracing of epicardial cells and mesothelium of other organs. Using these tools with proper understanding of their properties and limitations enables genetic labeling of epicardial cells and their derivatives.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. zhoubin@sibs.ac.cn
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: William T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Pu
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D019070:Cell Lineage; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010496:Pericardium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D025721:WT1 Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D025721:WT1 Proteins; D013629:Tamoxifen; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases