title: Germline recombination in a novel Cre transgenic line, Prl3b1-Cre mouse.
abstract: Spermatogenesis is a complex and highly regulated process by which spermatogonial stem cells differentiate into spermatozoa. To better understand the molecular mechanisms of the process, the Cre/loxP system has been widely utilized for conditional gene knockout in mice. In this study, we generated a transgenic mouse line that expresses Cre recombinase under the control of the 2.5 kbp of the Prolactin family 3, subfamily b, member 1 (Prl3b1) gene promoter (Prl3b1-cre). Prl3b1 was initially reported to code for placental lactogen 2 (PL-2) protein in placenta along with increased expression toward the end of pregnancy. PL-2 was found to be expressed in germ cells in the testis, especially in spermatocytes. To analyze the specificity and efficiency of Cre recombinase activity in Prl3b1-cre mice, the mice were mated with reporter R26GRR mice, which express GFP ubiquitously before and tdsRed exclusively after Cre recombination. The systemic examination of Prl3b1-cre;R26GRR mice revealed that tdsRed-positive cells were detected only in the testis and epididymis. Fluorescence imaging of Prl3b1-cre;R26GRR testes suggested that Cre-mediated recombination took place in the germ cells with approximately 74% efficiency determined by in vitro fertilization. In conclusion, our results suggest that the Prl3b1-cre mice line provides a unique resource to understand testicular germ-cell development. genesis 54:389-397, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Resource Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.|Animal Genetic Resource Department, National Gene Bank, Giza, Egypt.|Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Al-Sayed
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Al-Soudy
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Hygienic Chemistry and Molecular Toxicology, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Resource Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Seiya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mizuno
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Resource Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Resource Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.|Animal Genetic Resource Department, National Gene Bank, Giza, Egypt.|Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Hossam H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Shawki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Resource Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.|Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Megumi C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Katoh
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Resource Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.|Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.|Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Walaa A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Basha
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Resource Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.|Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Abdelaziz E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Cairo University Research Park, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hany A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: El-Shemy
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Resource Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.|International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iseki
authors.affiliation: Experimental Animal Division, Riken BioResource Center, Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshiki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Hygienic Chemistry and Molecular Toxicology, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan.|Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Kinjo Gakuin University, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Youhei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hiromori
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Hygienic Chemistry and Molecular Toxicology, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisamitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagase
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Resource Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.|Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.|International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Resource Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.|Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oishi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Resource Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumihiro
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010928:Placental Lactogen / Q000235:genetics; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; C111534:Ptp4a3 protein, mouse; C062303:placental lactogen II; D010928:Placental Lactogen; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases
keywords: Cre/loxP; Prl3b1; mouse; placental lactogen; spermatogenesis; testis