Spatial and temporal lineage analysis of a Pitx3-driven Cre-recombinase knock-in mouse model

PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e42641. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042641. Epub 2012 Aug 1.

Abstract

Development and function of mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (mdDA) neurons has received a lot of scientific interest since these neurons are critically involved in neurological diseases as Parkinson and psychiatric diseases as schizophrenia, depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The understanding of the molecular processes that lead to normal development and function of mdDA neurons has provided insight in the pathology and provided critical information on new treatment paradigms. In order to be able to study specific genetic ablation in mdDA neurons a new tools was developed that drives Cre-recombinase under the control of the Pitx3 locus. The Pitx3 gene is well known for its specific expression in mdDA neurons and is present at the onset of terminal differentiation. Analysis of newly generated Pitx3-Cre knock-in mice shows that Cre expression, measured through the activation of eYfp by removal of a "Stop" signal (LoxP-Stop-LoxP-eYfp reporter mouse), is present at the onset of terminal differentiation and mimics closely the native Pitx3 expression domain. In conclusion, we present here a new Cre-driver mouse model to be used in the restricted ablation of interesting genes in mdDA neurons in order to improve our understanding of the underlying molecular programming.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / genetics
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / metabolism
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / pathology
  • Cell Differentiation / physiology*
  • Cell Lineage / physiology*
  • Depression / genetics
  • Depression / metabolism
  • Depression / pathology
  • Diencephalon / cytology
  • Diencephalon / embryology*
  • Dopaminergic Neurons / cytology
  • Dopaminergic Neurons / metabolism*
  • Gene Knock-In Techniques
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Genetic Loci / physiology*
  • Homeodomain Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
  • Humans
  • Integrases / genetics
  • Integrases / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Parkinson Disease / genetics
  • Parkinson Disease / metabolism
  • Parkinson Disease / pathology
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Schizophrenia / genetics
  • Schizophrenia / metabolism
  • Schizophrenia / pathology
  • Transcription Factors / biosynthesis*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics

Substances

  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • homeobox protein PITX3
  • Cre recombinase
  • Integrases

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a VICI-grant (no. 865.09.002 to M.P. Smidt). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.