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Recombination Systems & Tools

Cre Driver Line (Tissue-Specific Cre)

A mouse line that expresses Cre recombinase from a promoter specific to certain tissues, cell types, or developmental stages, enabling targeted genomic recombination only in those cells.

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Overview

Cre driver lines allow spatial and temporal control of gene editing by restricting recombinase expression to defined cell populations. When crossed with mice carrying floxed alleles, recombination occurs only in targeted cells, preventing the widespread effects of whole-body knockouts.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I choose a Cre driver line?

Select based on promoter specificity, timing, and validation data. Use reporter crosses to confirm activity patterns.

How do I verify tissue specificity?

Cross to a Cre-reporter mouse and confirm labeled cells match expected expression domains.

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Related Terms

Cre-lox System

A bacteriophage P1-derived site-specific recombination technology that utilizes Cre recombinase to mediate genomic modifications at engineered LoxP sequences. This technology underpins conditional gene engineering approaches in mammalian genetics.

Tissue-Specific Knockout (Examples: Liver, Neuron)

A genetically engineered mouse model in which a target gene is selectively deleted or inactivated in a specific tissue or cell type, rather than throughout the entire organism. Typically relies on the Cre-LoxP recombination system.

Conditional Knockout (cKO) Mouse Models

A genetically engineered mouse in which a specific gene can be selectively inactivated in chosen tissues, cell types, or developmental stages—enabling precise studies of gene function while avoiding embryonic lethality or systemic effects.

More in Recombination Systems & Tools

Cre-lox SystemFloxed Gene / LoxP SiteLox-STOP-Lox (LSL) CassetteFlp-FRT SystemDre-rox System (Alternate Recombinase)
Conventional (Constitutive) Knockout Mouse ModelsView All TermsCre-lox System

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