USE OF GFAP-LACZ TRANSGENIC MICE TO DETERMINE ASTROCYTE FATE IN GRAFTS OF EMBRYONIC VENTRAL MIDBRAIN

Embryonic ventral midbrains from GFAP-lacZ transgenic mice were xenogr afted into the dopamine-depleted striata of adult rats. This transgeni c line harbors a nuclear-targeted bacterial beta-galactosidase (beta-g al) reporter gene under transcriptional control of the human glial fib rillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter sequence. Five weeks post-trans plantation, graft-derived astrocytes and dopaminergic neurons were vis ualized by dual immunocytochemistry for beta-gal and tyrosine hydroxyl ase (TH), respectively. This report describes the advantages associate d with the use of CFAP-lacZ transgenic mice to study astrocyte fate in embryonic neural grafts. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.