Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Identification Of Erythromyeloid Progenitors And Their Progeny In The Mouse Embryo By Flow Cytometry
08:59

Identification Of Erythromyeloid Progenitors And Their Progeny In The Mouse Embryo By Flow Cytometry

Published on: July 17, 2017

Podocyte-specific expression of tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase in mice

Hideki Yokoi1, Masato Kasahara, Masashi Mukoyama

  • 1Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan.

Nephrology, Dialysis, Transplantation : Official Publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association
|February 13, 2010
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Researchers developed new inducible transgenic mice for studying podocyte gene function. This tamoxifen-inducible system allows gene disruption in podocytes after birth, overcoming limitations of earlier models.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Genetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Podocytes are crucial for normal kidney glomerular function.
  • Existing podocyte-specific knockout mice have limitations for studying gene function in certain disease states.
  • Embryonic lethality or congenital abnormalities can hinder research with conventional models.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a temporal control system for genetic manipulation in podocytes.
  • To create tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase transgenic mice for podocyte research.
  • To enable gene disruption in podocytes post-birth.

Main Methods:

  • Constructed NPHS2-CreER(T2) transgenic mice using a podocin promoter.
  • Crossed NPHS2-CreER(T2) mice with ROSA26 reporter mice to assess Cre activity.
  • Administered tamoxifen (4-OHT) to 4-week-old double-mutant mice.

Main Results:

  • Tamoxifen administration resulted in beta-galactosidase expression specifically in 85% of glomerular podocytes.
  • Cre recombinase mRNA expression was predominantly localized to the kidney, particularly glomeruli.
  • Demonstrated successful temporal and podocyte-specific gene targeting.

Conclusions:

  • Successfully generated podocyte-specific inducible Cre transgenic mice.
  • Tamoxifen administration enables targeted gene disruption in adult podocytes.
  • These mice are valuable tools for investigating podocyte gene function in various conditions.

More Related Videos

Modeling Breast Cancer via an Intraductal Injection of Cre-expressing Adenovirus into the Mouse Mammary Gland06:29

Modeling Breast Cancer via an Intraductal Injection of Cre-expressing Adenovirus into the Mouse Mammary Gland

Published on: June 7, 2019

Spatial and Temporal Control of Murine Melanoma Initiation from Mutant Melanocyte Stem Cells06:09

Spatial and Temporal Control of Murine Melanoma Initiation from Mutant Melanocyte Stem Cells

Published on: June 7, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation02:53

Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation

Because the DNA segments are cut and reorganized in a direction-specific manner, site-specific recombination has emerged as an efficient genetic engineering technique. Flippase and Cyclization recombinases or Flp and Cre, respectively, are two members of the tyrosine recombinase family derived from bacteriophages, that are used to mediate site-specific DNA insertions, deletions, and targeted expression of proteins in mammalian cell lines.
The recognition sites for Cre recombinase called LoxP...
In-vitro Mutagenesis01:16

In-vitro Mutagenesis

To learn more about the function of a gene, researchers can observe what happens when the gene is inactivated or “knocked out,” by creating genetically engineered knockout animals. Knockout mice have been particularly useful as models for human diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes.