Phenotypic characterization of transgenic Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) that express a red fluorescent protein in hepatocytes.
Transgenic organisms that express fluorescent proteins are used frequently for in vivo visualization of proteins and cells. The phenotype of a transgenic medaka (Oryzias latipes) strain that expresses a red fluorescent protein (RFP) in hepatocytes was characterized using light and fluorescence microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Expression of RFP was first detected by confocal fluorescence microscopy in the location of the liver bud of live medaka embryos at 60 hr postfertilization (developmental stage 27). Subsequently, RFP signal was observed exclusively in hepatocytes throughout life using fluorescence microscopy in live fish and immunohistochemistry in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded liver sections. As the fish aged, prominent intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusions immunoreactive for RFP were observed by light microscopy and were correlated with membrane-bound electron dense inclusions on TEM. These results define the onset and location of RFP expression in the Tg(zf.L-fabp:DsRed) medaka and characterize a histologic phenotype that results from RFP expression in hepatocytes.
1Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
Arnaud J
AJ
Van Wettere
J Mac
JM
Law
David E
DE
Hinton
Seth W
SW
Kullman
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009990:Oryzias / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein
D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein
Oryzias latipes; inclusion; liver fatty acid binding protein; red fluorescent protein.; transgenic medaka