The establishment of a transgenic core lab allows continued growth of successful research programs at our institution, as well as the development of new research avenues. For transgenic mouse construction, the core lab performs microinjection of purified DNA elements into the pronucleus of fertilized mouse eggs. Eggs are then returned to pseudopregnant females, and founder lines established. The core lab harvests eggs, microinjects them, reimplants eggs, and coordinates litter stocks up to the establishment of a founder line. The investigator is responsible for providing ultrapure DNA fragments, and for performing appropriate Southern blot analysis on founders and their progeny to establish integration of the transgene.
Investigators maintain their own transgenic lines.
Procedures for targeted gene disruption and blastocyst injections are also available. Major equipment in the lab includes a Leica microscope with dual micromanipulators, a Sutter programmable pipette puller, a Narashige microforge, an Olympus dissecting stereoscope, an Eppendorf microinjection system, a laminar flow hood, and incubators. The transgenic lab is co-directed by Drs.