title: Generation and characterization of MafA-Kusabira Orange mice.
abstract: MafA and MafB are basic leucine zipper transcription factors expressed in mature pancreatic β- and α-cells, respectively. MafA is not only an insulin gene transcription factor but is also critical for the maturation and maintenance of β-cell function, whereas MafB is expressed in immature β-cells during development and in compromised β-cells in diabetes. In this study, we developed a mouse model to easily trace the promoter activity of MafA in β-cells as a tool for studying β-cell differentiation, maturation, regeneration and function using the expression of the fluorescent protein Kusabira Orange (KOr) driven by the BAC-mafA promoter. The expression of KOr was highly restricted to β-cells in the transgenic pancreas. By crossing MafA-KOr mice with MafB(GFP/+) reporter mice, simultaneous monitoring of MafA and MafB expressions in the isolated islets was successfully performed. This system can be a useful tool for examining dynamic changes in the differentiation and function of pancreatic islets by visualizing the expressions of MafA and MafB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Disorders, Diabetes Research Center, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan.
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oishi
authors.forename: Nobuaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Funahashi
authors.forename: Toshiyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Kazuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yasuda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D049408:Luminescent Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051473:Maf Transcription Factors, Large / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051258:MafB Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D007328:Insulin; D049408:Luminescent Agents; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D051473:Maf Transcription Factors, Large; D051258:MafB Transcription Factor; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein; C485160:Mafa protein, mouse; C490406:Mafb protein, mouse