title: Generation of an Rx-tTA: TetOp-Cre knock-in mouse line for doxycycline regulated Cre activity in the Rx expression domain.
abstract: Genetic deletion of mouse genes has played a crucial role in our understanding of embryonic eye development. Transgenic, tissue specific Cre recombinase expression in various eye structures has facilitated these experiments. However, an early expressing, temporally-regulated, optic vesicle-specific Cre line has not been available. In this report, we detail the generation and analysis of a knock-in, inducible Cre line designed to drive recombination specifically within the Rx expression domain. Crossing this line with a reporter line demonstrates that recombination can be mediated within the early optic vesicle and throughout retinal development. Recombination can also be mediated in the Rx-expressing, ventral diencephalon and future posterior pituitary gland. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that dietary doxycycline could effectively modulate Cre activity. This line has the potential to facilitate conditional knock-out experimentation to study early retina and/or posterior pituitary development.
authors.affiliation: Visual Systems Group, Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America.
authors.forename: Timothy F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Plageman
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005123:Eye / Q000196:embryology*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018390:Gene Targeting; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019426:Integrases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000196:embryology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012160:Retina / Q000196:embryology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases; D004318:Doxycycline