GFP - (Apr/07/2009 )

Hi All,

how to look for the reporter gene such as GFP in specific cell type in a transgenic mice.Do we need to cross the Tg mice with the GFP reporter mice and are there any GFP reporter mice commercially available.
Thanks.

If you mean a cell-type specific expression of a mutant gene labelled with GFP, then just crossing the mutant mice with GFP won't work because the expression of the GFP could and most likely will be independent of the expression of the mutant gene. You would need to create a mutant construct that expresses GFP and then insert it into an embryo and get the mice from there.

If you have already a Tg mouse with fused GFP to your gene of interest, by default you should see the expression of GFP under a flourescence microscope. For specific cell types, say hippocampal neurons, if the GFP expresses, you can see the flourescence. in some cases, though the GFP correctly fused, but u might not get flourescence, in this case just use anti-GFP antibody to see the expression. Hope i am correct.