Generation of a Cre knock-in into the Myocardin locus to mark early cardiac and smooth muscle cell lineages.

ABSTRACT: The molecular events that control cell fate determination in cardiac and smooth muscle lineages remain elusive. Myocardin is an important transcription cofactor that regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, and development of the cardiovascular system. Here, we describe the construction and analysis of a dual Cre and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) knock-in mouse line in the Myocardin locus (Myocd(KI)). We report that the Myocd(KI) allele expresses the Cre enzyme and the EGFP in a manner that recapitulates endogenous Myocardin expression patterns. We show that Myocardin expression marks the earliest cardiac and smooth muscle lineages. Furthermore, this genetic model allows for the identification of a cardiac cell population, which maintains both Myocardin and Isl-1 expressi

SUBMITTER: Espinoza-Lewis RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4211964 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature