Why Inducible Control Matters
Overcoming Embryonic Lethality
Constitutive Knockout Limitation: Essential genes deleted from conception often cause embryonic or perinatal death, preventing adult phenotype analysis.
Inducible Solution: Induce gene deletion in adults after development completes. Study adult function of developmentally essential genes.
Distinguishing Developmental vs Adult Function
Constitutive Knockout Limitation: Lifelong gene absence conflates developmental defects with adult requirements. Phenotype may reflect developmental abnormality rather than adult function.
Inducible Solution: Delete gene in fully developed adults. Observe acute consequences separate from developmental compensation.
Modeling Therapeutic Intervention
Constitutive Knockout Limitation: Therapeutics inhibit targets in adult patients, not from conception.
Inducible Solution: Induce deletion at disease relevant timepoints. Model drug effect timing and therapeutic window.
Major Inducible Systems
Tamoxifen Inducible (CreERT2)
The most widely used inducible system for conditional gene deletion. Cre recombinase fused to mutant estrogen receptor (ERT2) is sequestered in cytoplasm until tamoxifen binding releases Cre to enter nucleus.
- Single administration creates permanent genetic change
- Wide variety of tissue specific CreERT2 lines available
- Well characterized and reliable
- Recombination occurs within days of tamoxifen administration
F.A.S.T.™ Technology
Flexible Accelerated STOP Tetracycline Operator provides versatile inducible/reversible control enabling multiple expression modes from a single knockin allele:
- Knockout First Mode:Initial allele functions as a null, with gene function rescued by crossing to tissue specific Cre lines
- Inducible Expression Mode:Gene expression induced through tetracycline transactivator (tTA) lines for ectopic or tissue specific overexpression
- Conditional Knockdown/Knockout Mode:Gene expression silenced using tetracycline trans silencer lines for tissue specific conditional knockdown
Choosing an Inducible System
Decision framework for selecting the appropriate inducible system:
Tissue Specific Inducible Cre Lines
Combine tissue specificity with temporal control. Gene deleted only in specific tissue AND only after tamoxifen administration.
What Researchers Say
“iTL produced four conditional knockout mouse models on our behalf. They have been extremely helpful and informative at all stages of the project; all the way from construct design to breeding strategies and genotyping the new mouse models. I know where to turn when the needs comes up again for another mouse project; it is certainly faster and cheaper than doing this by ourselves.”
— William A. Coetzee, DSc
NYU School of Medicine
Start Your Inducible Model Project
Our scientific consultants can help you select the optimal inducible system and design strategy for your research goals. From CreERT2 knockins to floxed allele optimization, we provide comprehensive technical expertise.
Frequently Asked Questions
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