title: Generation and characterization of a transgenic pig carrying a DsRed-monomer reporter gene.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pigs are an optimal animal for conducting biomedical research because of their anatomical and physiological resemblance to humans. In contrast to the abundant resources available in the study of mice, few fluorescent protein-harboring porcine models are available for preclinical studies. In this paper, we report the successful generation and characterization of a transgenic DsRed-Monomer porcine model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The transgene comprised a CMV enhancer/chicken-beta actin promoter and DsRed monomeric cDNA. Transgenic pigs were produced by using pronuclear microinjection. PCR and Southern blot analyses were applied for identification of the transgene. Histology, blood examinations and computed tomography were performed to study the health conditions. The pig amniotic fluid progenitor/stem cells were also isolated to examine the existence of red fluorescence and differentiation ability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Transgenic pigs were successfully generated and transmitted to offspring at a germ-line transmission rate of 43.59% (17/39). Ubiquitous expression of red fluorescence was detected in the brain, eye, tongue, heart, lung, liver, pancreas, spleen, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, kidney, testis, and muscle; this was confirmed by histology and western blot analyses. In addition, we confirmed the differentiation potential of amniotic fluid progenitor stem cells isolated from the transgenic pig.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This red fluorescent pig can serve as a host for other fluorescent-labeled cells in order to study cell-microenvironment interactions, and can provide optimal red-fluorescent-labeled cells and tissues for research in developmental biology, regenerative medicine, and xenotransplantation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shao-Yu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mei-Han
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, National Chiayi University, Chiayi, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Cho-Chen
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Winston Teng-Kui
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Animal Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shinn-Chih
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yao-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002645:Chickens; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D018703:Founder Effect; D015870:Gene Expression; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D013552:Swine / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017388:Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; C413663:fluorescent protein 583