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Analysis of Gene Expression Using lacZ Reporter Mouse Lines

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Mouse Genetics

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2224))

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Abstract

Reporter mice transgenically expressing the bacterial (E. coli) lacZ gene encoding β-galactosidase (β-gal, EC 3.2.1.23) are a versatile and extensively used tool to study gene expression and cell lineage patterns. Enzymatic activity of the β-gal reporter can be effectively visualized at cellular resolution either histochemically using 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-β-d-galactopyranoside (X-gal) or by immunofluorescent detection using a β-gal-specific antibody. Here, we summarize protocols for the localization of β-gal expressing cells in whole embryos or organs as well as in histological tissue sections of lacZ reporter mice and discuss their limitations and common pitfalls.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Maria TK Zaldivia for critically reading the manuscript. This work was supported by the DFG (FOR 2060 project SCHM 2371/1) to HS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    Michael Simon Krämer, Robert Feil & Hannes Schmidt

Authors
  1. Michael Simon Krämer
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  2. Robert Feil
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  3. Hannes Schmidt
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hannes Schmidt .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Basic Research Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA

    Shree Ram Singh

  2. Department of Surgery, University of California, AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA

    Robert M. Hoffman

  3. Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, USA

    Amit Singh

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Krämer, M.S., Feil, R., Schmidt, H. (2021). Analysis of Gene Expression Using lacZ Reporter Mouse Lines. In: Singh, S.R., Hoffman, R.M., Singh, A. (eds) Mouse Genetics . Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2224. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1008-4_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1008-4_2

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-1007-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-1008-4

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