Il6 Conditional Knockout mouse — liver specific context
Il6, the mouse ortholog of human IL6, encodes a four-helix bundle cytokine that first binds the nonsignaling Il6ra alpha chain and then recruits two Il6st gp130 molecules to assemble a hexameric complex that activates Jak1 and phosphorylates Stat3, driving Socs3 feedback, hepatic acute phase gene induction, Th17 differentiation with Tgfb, and plasma cell survival. A defining feature is trans-signaling, in which ADAM17-shed soluble Il6ra confers responsiveness on gp130-positive cells lacking the alpha chain, a distinction that shapes allele design: a straight null collapses both arms, an Il6ra conditional or a gp130 chimeric decoy isolates trans-signaling, and humanized IL6 or IL6R knockins are the only credible platform for testing tocilizumab, sarilumab, or siltuximab in vivo. Nulls are viable with blunted acute phase and impaired infection responses, and because Il11, Lif, and Osm also converge on gp130, cytokine-level redundancy should be anticipated when interpreting modest phenotypes.
A floxed Il6 allele paired with Cre gives spatial control that whole body knockouts cannot offer. People use it to separate developmental roles from adult homeostasis, to model somatic mutations, and to match disease that begins in one organ. For liver work, plan Cre specificity, reporter crosses, and baseline phenotyping before you scale.
Catalog options
Conditional knockout focuses the experiment on liver 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 # | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Il6-Flox | Conditional Knockout | KO/CKO mice | live | CKO 220529 | Inquire |
Designing a Il6 Conditional Knockout allele
Conditional deletion answers which cell makes the cytokine, a question a null cannot touch, and here the candidate sources are unusually diverse. Flank the coding exons for the four-helix bundle, including the surface that contacts the alpha chain, and keep untranslated regulatory elements in the floxed footprint unchanged so transcript stability is not altered on the unrecombined allele. Choose drivers by model: LysM-Cre for myeloid production in endotoxemia, Col1a2-CreERT2 or Pdgfrb-CreERT2 for stromal fibroblast production in arthritis and tumor stroma, Cdh5-CreERT2 for endothelium, Ckmm-Cre for the exercise-induced muscle pool, Gfap-CreERT2 for astrocytes in neuroinflammation. Because plasma concentration is dominated by whichever compartment is activated, quantify recombination in sorted cells and measure secretion ex vivo. Read serum amyloid A, hepatic Stat3 phosphorylation, Socs3 induction, splenic Th17 frequency, and plasma cytokine.
Pricing and quotes
The Il6 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 Il6 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 Il6 Conditional Knockout mouse models are available?
When Il6 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 Il6 knockout embryonic lethal in mice?
It depends on background and allele design. Some Il6 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 liver 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 liver specific, so we start driver selection there.
Do you ship live Il6 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 Il6?
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.