Mouse Cre Models for the Study of Bone Diseases

Area of Science:

• Skeletal Biology
• Genetics
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Transgenic Cre lines enable conditional gene manipulation for functional studies.
• Understanding bone cell function is crucial for skeletal health and disease research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review Cre transgenic models for studying gene function in bone cells.
• To highlight the advantages and limitations of these models, particularly for osteocytes and osteoclasts.

Main Methods:

• Overview of existing Cre transgenic models in bone research.
• Discussion of specificity, recombination events, and potential off-target effects.

Main Results:

• Many bone cell-targeted Cre models exhibit unexpected recombination.
• Transient expression and germline recombination can impact data accuracy.
• Cre transgenes may lead to unforeseen phenotypes.

Conclusions:

• Bone-targeted Cre-deleter strains have limitations but are valuable tools.
• Careful validation and awareness of potential issues are necessary for accurate interpretation.
• Continued use of these models will advance understanding of bone cell function in health and disease.