Genetic targeting of principal neurons in neocortex and hippocampus of NEX-Cre mice
2006
Conditional mutagenesis permits the cell type-specific analysis of gene functions in vivo. Here, we describe a mouse line that expresses
Cre recombinaseunder control of
regulatory sequencesof NEX, a gene that encodes a neuronal
basic helix-loop-helix(bHLH) protein. To mimic endogenous NEX expression in the dorsal telencephalon, the
Cre recombinasegene was targeted into the NEX locus by homologous recombination in ES cells. The Cre expression pattern was analyzed following breeding into different lines of lacZ-indicator mice. Most prominent Cre activity was observed in
neocortexand hippocampus, starting from around embryonic day 11.5. Within the dorsal telencephalon, Cre-mediated recombination marked pyramidal neurons and
dentate gyrusmossy and
granule cells, but was absent from proliferating neural precursors of the
ventricular zone, interneurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes. Additionally, we identified formerly unknown domains of NEX promoter activity in mid- and
hindbrain. The NEX-Cre mouse will be a valuable tool for behavioral research and the conditional inactivation of target genes in pyramidal neurons of the dorsal telencephalon. genesis 44:611–621, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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