| First Author | Charles MA | Year | 2008 |
| Journal | Genesis | Volume | 46 |
| Issue | 10 | Pages | 507-14 |
| PubMed ID | 18802953 | Mgi Jnum | J:142726 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3822065 | Doi | 10.1002/dvg.20398 |
| Citation | Charles MA, et al. (2008) Pitx2 deletion in pituitary gonadotropes is compatible with gonadal development, puberty, and fertility. Genesis 46(10):507-14 |
| abstractText | This report introduces a gonadotrope-specific cre transgenic mouse capable of ablating floxed genes in mature pituitary gonadotropes. Initial analysis of this transgenic line, Tg(Lhb-cre)1Sac, reveals that expression is limited to the pituitary cells that produce luteinizing hormone beta, beginning appropriately at e17.5. Cre activity is detectable by a reporter gene in nearly every LHbeta-producing cell, but the remaining hormone-producing cell types and other organs exhibit little to no activity. We used the Tg(Lhb-cre)1Sac strain to assess the role Pitx2 in gonadotrope function. The gonadotrope-specific Pitx2 knockout mice exhibit normal expression of LHbeta, sexual maturation, and fertility, suggesting that Pitx2 is not required for gonadotrope maintenance or for regulated production of gonadotropins. |
