Musashi1-CreER(T2) : a new cre line for conditional mutagenesis in neural stem cells

The RNA-binding protein Musashi1 (Msi1) is one of two mammalian homologues of Drosophila Musashi, which is required for the asymmetric cell division of sensory organ precursor cells. In the mouse central nervous system (CNS), Msi1 is preferentially expressed in mitotically active progenitor cells in the ventricular zone (VZ) of the neural tube during embryonic development and in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the postnatal brain. Previous studies showed that cells in the SVZ can contribute to long-term neurogenesis in the olfactory bulb (OB), but it remains unclear whether Msi1-expressing cells have self-renewing potential and can contribute to neurogenesis in the adult. Here, we describe the generation of Msi1-CreER(T2) knock-in mice and show by cell lineage tracing that Msi1-CreER(T2) -expressing cells mark neural stem cells (NSCs) in both the embryonic and adult brain. Msi1-CreER(T2) mice thus represent a new tool in our arsenal for genetically manipulating NSCs, which will be essential for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying neural development.