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Updated: Nov 4, 2025
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Cell Type-specific Gene Expression Profiling in the Mouse Liver
Published on: September 17, 2019
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Collecting mouse livers for transcriptome analysis of daily rhythms
Thomas Mortimer1, Patrick-Simon Welz1,2, Salvador Aznar Benitah1,3
1Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
STAR Protocols
|May 26, 2021
Summary
This protocol details how to identify daily transcriptional rhythms in mouse liver tissue using precisely timed harvests and RNA sequencing. This method provides a foundation for studying rhythmic biological processes in metabolic organs.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Chronobiology
- Genomics
Background:
- Daily biological rhythms, or circadian rhythms, influence numerous physiological processes.
- Understanding transcriptional rhythms is crucial for deciphering molecular mechanisms underlying daily cycles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a detailed protocol for identifying transcriptional rhythms in mouse liver tissue.
- To provide a template for analyzing rhythmic gene expression in other metabolic organs.
Main Methods:
- Mouse entrainment to controlled light-dark cycles.
- Precise timing of liver tissue harvests.
- Total RNA sequencing and subsequent rhythmicity analysis.
Main Results:
- Identification of a rhythmic transcriptome in mouse liver.
- Establishment of a reproducible method for circadian gene expression analysis.
Conclusions:
- The described protocol enables the discovery of daily transcriptional patterns in the liver.
- This approach serves as a valuable starting point for investigating rhythmic biological functions in metabolic organs.
