Lgr5-CreERT2 for stem cell conditional models
Target conditional knockout mice carry a floxed allele so you delete function only where Cre is active. The germline allele stays intact until you cross to a tissue specific Cre. Labs reach for this design when a global knockout is lethal, when they need adult onset loss, or when regional redundancy hides a whole body phenotype. For stem cell work, plan Cre specificity, reporter crosses, and baseline phenotyping before you scale.
Driver pairing notes
Lgr5-CreERT2 biases recombination toward stem cell lineages. Inducible design: yes, via tamoxifen.
Conditional knockout focuses the experiment on stem-cell 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.
A conventional knockout answers whether the gene is required broadly. When stem-cell is the organ of interest, a global null can still be informative if viability is acceptable and you want the simplest genotype. If the null is harsh, a floxed allele with a regional Cre is the safer long term platform.
Example conditional alleles to pair with Lgr5-CreERT2
Frequently asked questions
What animals express Lgr5-CreERT2?
Lgr5-CreERT2 is used for stem cell biased recombination in community standard protocols. We recommend reporter validation on your background before large experiments.
Is Lgr5-CreERT2 inducible?
Some lines in the CreERT2 family need tamoxifen for nuclear access. Tell us your timing goals and we help pick tamoxifen versus constitutive strategies.
Which floxed genes pair with Lgr5-CreERT2?
Top pairs depend on your disease model. We link common conditional alleles in our catalog and can suggest three to five references genes that match stem cell biology.