| First Author | Zhao S | Year | 2004 |
| Journal | Eur J Neurosci | Volume | 19 |
| Issue | 5 | Pages | 1133-40 |
| PubMed ID | 15016072 | Mgi Jnum | J:96772 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3531407 | Doi | 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2004.03206.x |
| Citation | Zhao S, et al. (2004) Generation of embryonic stem cells and transgenic mice expressing green fluorescence protein in midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Eur J Neurosci 19(5):1133-40 |
| abstractText | We have generated embryonic stem (ES) cells and transgenic mice with green fluorescent protein (GFP) inserted into the Pitx3 locus via homologous recombination. In the central nervous system, Pitx3-directed GFP was visualized in dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area. Live primary DA neurons can be isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting from these transgenic mouse embryos. In culture, Pitx3-GFP is coexpressed in a proportion of ES-derived DA neurons. Furthermore, ES cell-derived Pitx3-GFP expressing DA neurons responded to neurotrophic factors and were sensitive to DA-specific neurotoxin N-4-methyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine. We anticipate that the Pitx3-GFP ES cells could be used as a powerful model system for functional identification of molecules governing mDA neuron differentiation and for preclinical research including pharmaceutical drug screening and transplantation. The Pitx3 knock-in mice, on the other hand, could be used for purifying primary neurons for molecular studies associated with the midbrain-specific DA phenotype at a level not previously feasible. These mice would also provide a useful tool to study DA fate determination from embryo- or adult-derived neural stem cells. |
