StarTrack: Mapping Cellular Fates with Inheritable Color Codes

StarTrack is a powerful multicolor genetic tool designed to unravel cellular lineages arising from neural progenitor cells (NPCs). This innovative technique, based on retrospective clonal analysis and built upon the PiggyBac system, creates a unique and inheritable "color code" within NPCs. Through the stochastic integration of 12 distinct plasmids encoding six fluorescent proteins, StarTrack enables precise and comprehensive tracking of cellular fates and progenitor potentials. The versatility of this tool is further enhanced by the potential of combining multiple promoters. Whether through the use of fluorescent integrable constructs or driving the expression of the PiggyBac transposase, StarTrack broadens the horizons for lineage tracing from progenitors of multiple origins.StarTrack revolutionized our understanding of cellular origins and lineages, offering an invaluable resource for researchers in the field of neural development and lineage tracing. This protocol provides a comprehensive overview of the technique's capabilities and applications, shedding light on its significance within the scientific community.