Mapt Conditional Knockout mouse — neural specific context
Mapt, the mouse ortholog of human MAPT, encodes tau, a natively unfolded microtubule-associated protein whose carboxy-terminal repeat domain binds along the microtubule lattice to promote assembly and regulate axonal transport, while its projection domain and extensive phosphorylation by GSK3 beta, CDK5, and MARK kinases control detachment and aggregation propensity. A decisive species difference drives model design: adult mouse brain expresses almost exclusively four-repeat tau, whereas human brain expresses balanced three-repeat and four-repeat isoforms generated by exon 10 splicing, so intronic and exonic FTDP-17 mutations that shift isoform ratio cannot be modeled on the mouse locus and require humanized MAPT knockin alleles carrying the full genomic region. Coding mutations such as P301S and P301L instead drive filament formation and are commonly modeled by knockin or transgene. Nulls are viable with mild phenotypes because Map1b and Map2 compensate, so deletion answers requirement while humanized or aggregation-prone knockins answer tauopathy mechanism and antibody or antisense oligonucleotide response.
Tissue restricted knockout of Mapt 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 neural work, plan Cre specificity, reporter crosses, and baseline phenotyping before you scale.
Catalog options
Conditional knockout focuses the experiment on neuron 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 # | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mapt-Flox | Conditional Knockout | KO/CKO mice | sperm cryopreservation | CKO 2118651 | Inquire |
Designing a Mapt Conditional Knockout allele
Because the germline null is healthy, a conditional here buys temporal and cellular resolution rather than viability. Two questions justify it: whether tau is required to maintain circuits that already formed, and whether sustained lowering in a defined cell type is tolerated, the mouse surrogate for oligonucleotide safety. Choose the floxed interval carefully. Removing only the repeat-encoding exons leaves a projection-domain fragment that can sequester kinases and act as a partial dominant, so flank the promoter and first coding exon for clean loss. Slc17a7-Cre or CaMKIIalpha-Cre serve cortical excitatory neurons, Chat-Cre serves motor neurons, and a tamoxifen-inducible driver is required when adult onset is the point. Phenotypes usually need provocation, so score axonal transport, microtubule dynamics, kainate seizure threshold, and excitotoxic vulnerability rather than baseline behavior alone.
Pricing and quotes
The Mapt 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 Mapt 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 Mapt Conditional Knockout mouse models are available?
When Mapt 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 Mapt knockout embryonic lethal in mice?
It depends on background and allele design. Some Mapt 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 neuron 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 neuron specific, so we start driver selection there.
Do you ship live Mapt 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 Mapt?
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.