Transgenic mice for a tamoxifen-induced, conditional expression of the Cre recombinase in osteoclasts.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Studies on osteoclasts, the bone resorbing cells, have remained limited due to the lack of transgenic mice allowing the conditional knockout of genes in osteoclasts at any time during development or adulthood.

Methodology/principal finding

We report here on the generation of transgenic mice which specifically express a tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase in osteoclasts. These mice, generated on C57BL/6 and FVB background, express a fusion Cre recombinase-ERT2 protein whose expression is driven by the promoter of cathepsin K (CtsK), a gene highly expressed in osteoclasts. We tested the cellular specificity of Cre activity in CtsKCreERT2 strains by breeding with Rosa26LacZ reporter mice. PCR and histological analyses of the CtsKCreERT2LacZ positive adult mice and E1

SUBMITTER: Sanchez-Fernandez MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3356310 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature