The Mouse Gene Expression Database (GXD)

Abstract

The Gene Expression Database (GXD) is an extensive, highly curated, and freely available community resource of mouse gene expression information. Its primary emphasis is on endogenous gene expression during mouse development. GXD integrates data from RNA in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, knock-in reporter, RT-PCR, northern blot, and western blot experiments for wild-type and mutant mice. These data are generated by the research community worldwide and are systematically collected through curation of the literature, electronic data submissions, and collaborations with projects that produce these types of data at a large scale. GXD curators annotate all these expression data in standardized ways using official genetic nomenclature, controlled vocabularies, and an extensive anatomical ontology. As a major component of the larger Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI) resource, GXD integrates its expression data closely with genotype, functional, phenotype, and disease-oriented data, thus enabling users to search for expression data and images using a large variety of biologically and biomedically relevant parameters. A critical bridge between genotype and phenotype data, the expression information provided by GXD fosters insights into the molecular mechanism of mammalian development, differentiation, and disease. Target user groups include scientists pursuing basis research and/or clinical/translational research, as well as computational biologists and bioinformaticians.