PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Liang, Huixuan
AU  - Hippenmeyer, Simon
AU  - Ghashghaei, H. Troy
TI  - A <em>Nestin-cre</em> transgenic mouse is insufficient for recombination in early embryonic neural progenitors
AID  - 10.1242/bio.20122287
DP  - 2012 Dec 15
TA  - Biology Open
PG  - 1200--1203
VI  - 1
IP  - 12
4099  - http://bio.biologists.org/content/1/12/1200.short
4100  - http://bio.biologists.org/content/1/12/1200.full
SO  - Biology Open2012 Dec 15; 1
AB  - Nestin-cre transgenic mice have been widely used to direct recombination to neural stem cells (NSCs) and intermediate neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Here we report that a readily utilized, and the only commercially available, Nestin-cre line is insufficient for directing recombination in early embryonic NSCs and NPCs. Analysis of recombination efficiency in multiple cre-dependent reporters and a genetic mosaic line revealed consistent temporal and spatial patterns of recombination in NSCs and NPCs. For comparison we utilized a knock-in Emx1cre line and found robust recombination in NSCs and NPCs in ventricular and subventricular zones of the cerebral cortices as early as embryonic day 12.5. In addition we found that the rate of Nestin-cre driven recombination only reaches sufficiently high levels in NSCs and NPCs during late embryonic and early postnatal periods. These findings are important when commercially available cre lines are considered for directing recombination to embryonic NSCs and NPCs.