title: Anatomical characterization of Cre driver mice for neural circuit mapping and manipulation.
abstract: Significant advances in circuit-level analyses of the brain require tools that allow for labeling, modulation of gene expression, and monitoring and manipulation of cellular activity in specific cell types and/or anatomical regions. Large-scale projects and individual laboratories have produced hundreds of gene-specific promoter-driven Cre mouse lines invaluable for enabling genetic access to subpopulations of cells in the brain. However, the potential utility of each line may not be fully realized without systematic whole brain characterization of transgene expression patterns. We established a high-throughput in situ hybridization (ISH), imaging and data processing pipeline to describe whole brain gene expression patterns in Cre driver mice. Currently, anatomical data from over 100 Cre driver lines are publicly available via the Allen Institute's Transgenic Characterization database, which can be used to assist researchers in choosing the appropriate Cre drivers for functional, molecular, or connectional studies of different regions and/or cell types in the brain.
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Julie A
authors: JA
authors: Harris
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Karla E
authors: KE
authors: Hirokawa
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Staci A
authors: SA
authors: Sorensen
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Hong
authors: H
authors: Gu
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Maya
authors: M
authors: Mills
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Lydia L
authors: LL
authors: Ng
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Phillip
authors: P
authors: Bohn
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Marty
authors: M
authors: Mortrud
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Benjamin
authors: B
authors: Ouellette
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Jolene
authors: J
authors: Kidney
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Kimberly A
authors: KA
authors: Smith
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Chinh
authors: C
authors: Dang
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Sunkin
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Amy
authors: A
authors: Bernard
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Seung Wook
authors: SW
authors: Oh
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Linda
authors: L
authors: Madisen
authors: Allen Institute for Brain Science Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Hongkui
authors: H
authors: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology; D014295:Trimethoprim / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D013629:Tamoxifen; D014295:Trimethoprim; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases
keywords: Cre driver mice; anatomical characterization; genetic tools; in situ hybridization; neuronal cell types