title: Whole-mount X-Gal staining of mouse tissues.
abstract: Although the development of improved mouse models, including conditional deletions, marks an exciting time in mouse genetics, it is important to characterize and validate these models. Cre reporter strains allow researchers to assess the recombinase expression profile and function in individual Cre mouse lines. These strains are engineered to express a reporter gene (usually LacZ) following the removal of a floxed STOP cassette, thus marking cell lineages that can be targeted with a given Cre line. This protocol provides a detailed method for the histochemical detection of β-galactosidase activity in Cre mouse strains.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Pathology Unit and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129;
authors.forename: Jessica J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gierut
authors.forename: Tyler E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Jacks
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Haigis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D005697:Galactosides / Q000378:metabolism*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D007211:Indoles / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005697:Galactosides; D007211:Indoles; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; C044888:5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl beta-galactoside