Cre/loxP System for Generating Tissue-specific Knockout Mouse Models

Alteration of the mouse genome by conventional transgenic and gene-targeted approaches has greatly facilitated studies of gene function. However, a gene alteration expressed in the germ line may cause an embryonic lethal phenotype resulting in no viable mouse to study gene function. Similarly, a gene alteration may exert its effect in multiple different cell and tissue types, creating a complex phenotype in which it is difficult to distinguish direct function in a particular tissue from secondary effects resulting from altered gene function in other tissues. Therefore, methods have been developed to control conditions such as the timing, cell-type, and tissue specificity of gene activation or repression. This brief review provides an overview of the Cre/LoxP system for generating tissue-specific knockout mouse models.