Green fluorescent protein-transgenic rat: A tool for organ transplantationresearch

The purpose of this study is to evaluate green fluorescent protein (GFP) tr ansgenic rats for use as a tool for organ transplantation research. The GFP gene construct was designed to express ubiquitously. By flow cytometry, th e cells obtained from the bone marrow, spleen, and peripheral blood of the GFP transgenic rats consisted of 77, 91, and 75% GFP-positive cells, respec tively. To examine cell migration of GFP-positive cells after organ transpl antation, pancreas graft with or without spleen transplantation, heart graf t with or without lung transplantation, auxiliary liver and small bowel tra nsplantation were also performed from GFP transgenic rat to LEW (RT1(1)) ra ts under a 2-week course of 0.64 mg/kg tacrolimus administration. GFP-posit ive donor cells were detected in the fully allogenic LEW rats after organ t ransplantation. These results showed that GFP transgenic rat is a useful to ol for organ transplantation research such as cell migration study after or gan transplantation without donor cell staining. (C) 2001 Academic Press.