Targeting of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells by Cre-Recombinase Transgenes Commonly Used to Target Osteoblast Lineage Cells.

ABSTRACT: The targeting specificity of tissue-specific Cre-recombinase transgenes is a key to interpreting phenotypes associated with their use. The Ocn-Cre and Dmp1-Cre transgenes are widely used to target osteoblasts and osteocytes, respectively. Here, we used high-resolution microscopy of bone sections and flow cytometry to carefully define the targeting specificity of these transgenes. These transgenes were crossed with Cxcl12^gfp mice to identify Cxcl12-abundant reticular (CAR) cells, which are a perivascular mesenchymal stromal population implicated in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell maintenance. We show that in addition to osteoblasts, Ocn-Cre targets a majority of CAR cells and arteriolar pericytes. Surprisingly, Dmp1-Cre also targets a subset of CAR cells, in which expression o

SUBMITTER: Zhang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5523961 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature