title: Macrophages shine bright.
abstract: In this issue of Blood, Iqbal et al created a novel mouse model with a strong expression of green fluorescence protein (GFP) in monocytes, tissue resident macrophages, and inflammatory macrophages, and may provide an important tool for future studies focusing on macrophage biology. Several transgenic mice with expression of fluorescent proteins in myeloid cells exist, among them the CCR2-RFP and the CX3CR1GFP mouse. However, both of these mice have several limitations: they are knock-in constructs under control of chemokine receptors with potential effects on monocyte mobilization from the bone marrow, recruitment to sites of inflammation, or survival. Alteration of chemokine receptor expression during macrophage differentiation may affect expression of fluorescent proteins and thus render macrophages nonfluorescent.
authors.affiliation: LUDWIG MAXIMILIAN UNIVERSITY OF MUNICH; AMSTERDAM UNIVERSITY; GERMAN CENTRE FOR CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Soehnlein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics*; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000235:genetics*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000166:cytology*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule