Erbb2 Conditional Knockout mouse — mammary specific context
Erbb2, mouse ortholog of human ERBB2 and historically called Neu, encodes the ERBB family member that binds no known ligand because its extracellular region is constitutively fixed in the extended, dimerization-competent conformation, making it the preferred heterodimerization partner for ligand-bound EGFR, ERBB3 and ERBB4 and the most potent signaling partner in the family. Amplification at 17q12 drives breast and gastric carcinoma, whereas the rat transmembrane V664E substitution and human extracellular and kinase domain missense variants act through enhanced dimerization. Trastuzumab and pertuzumab recognize subdomain IV and subdomain II epitopes that differ between mouse and human, so ectodomain humanized knockins are the only rigorous platform for antibody and antibody-drug conjugate efficacy and cardiotoxicity work. Germline null embryos die from failed cardiac trabeculation and cranial neural crest defects, requiring conditional alleles. Because ERBB2 signals only as a heterodimer, Erbb3 is functionally obligate for PI3K output, so pair alleles accordingly and select a mammary-restricted Cre for tumor studies.
Tissue restricted knockout of Erbb2 keeps wild type function everywhere else. Breeding is often more robust, and the setup mirrors patient biology where mutations arise in a subset of cells. For mammary work, plan Cre specificity, reporter crosses, and baseline phenotyping before you scale.
Catalog options
Conditional knockout focuses the experiment on mammary while the rest of the animal keeps a wild type allele. That pattern mirrors somatic mutation in patients and avoids systemic compensation that can erase subtle phenotypes. It is often preferred when a germline null is lethal, weak, or confounded by developmental rescue.
| Model | Type | Category | Availability | Catalog # | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erbb2-Flox | Conditional Knockout | KO/CKO mice, disease model mice | sperm cryopreservation | CKO 220557 | Inquire |
Designing a Erbb2 Conditional Knockout allele
Two questions justify a conditional here, and they are different. For cardiac safety, deletion with Myh6-Cre or an inducible Myh6-MerCreMer produces chamber dilation and reduced contractility, the genetic counterpart of anthracycline-sensitized trastuzumab cardiotoxicity; note that tamoxifen dosing of MerCreMer lines is itself cardiotoxic, so include Cre-positive oil-treated controls. For Schwann cell and neuromuscular work, Dhh-Cre or Mpz-Cre removes the neuregulin 1 type III receptor complex and yields hypomyelination measured by g ratio and nerve conduction. In mammary studies, MMTV-Cre lines differ substantially: line D shows germline and hematopoietic activity that silently converts animals to constitutive heterozygotes, so genotype offspring for the recombined allele every generation, and consider WAP-Cre for lactation-restricted timing. Because ERBB2 signals only in heterodimers, interpret loss against parallel Erbb3 deletion. Endpoints are serial echocardiography, phosphorylated AKT, and ductal branching morphometry.
Pricing and quotes
The Erbb2 Conditional Knockout lines listed above are catalog models. Send us the catalog number and our team confirms current availability, pricing, and whether the line ships cryopreserved or live.
If your study needs a Erbb2 allele configuration that is not listed above, our scientific team designs and generates it. Model generation quotes return in about twenty four hours with milestones for genotyping, QC, and dispatch.
FAQ
What Erbb2 Conditional Knockout mouse models are available?
When Erbb2 Conditional Knockout lines are in catalog, we ship from inventory. If your configuration is not listed, we design the allele to order. Common paths include conditional knockout, constitutive knockout, humanized, knockin, and transgenic options, with documented germline transmission and United States QC.
Is Erbb2 knockout embryonic lethal in mice?
It depends on background and allele design. Some Erbb2 germline knockouts are viable. Others need conditional alleles or mixed backgrounds. We review publications and our own experience, then recommend floxed versus null before you commit.
Which Cre driver is best for mammary specific focused experiments?
Driver choice depends on onset timing, recombination efficiency, and known leak. We map your organ and cell type to a short list of proven Cre lines, then talk through reporter crosses and controls. Your note points to mammary specific, so we start driver selection there.
Do you ship live Erbb2 animals?
When catalog lines are live, we ship with health certificates and QC documentation. If your exact combo is not listed, we quote a generation project with cryo or live dispatch depending on cohort timing and geography.
How do I request a quote for Erbb2?
Use the catalog inquire buttons or the request quote form. Include your allele goal, Cre plan if any, strain background, and cohort size. A PhD led team responds with pricing, milestones, and the fastest path to experimental animals.