Abstract
X-gal staining is a rapid and convenient histochemical technique used to detect reporter gene expression. A prerequisite is the creation or acquisition of transgenic reporter mouse lines, in which the bacterial LacZ gene has been knocked into the gene of interest or placed under the control of regulatory elements corresponding to the gene of interest. Expression is marked by a dark blue stain and can be detected at the single cell level, providing a robust visual readout of gene expression in the developing kidney. Here, we describe the methodology, applications, and limitations of this technique.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Indra AK, Warot X, Brocard J et al (1999) Temporally-controlled site-specific mutagenesis in the basal layer of the epidermis: comparison of the recombinase activity of the tamoxifen-inducible Cre-ER(T) and Cre-ER(T2) recombinases. Nucleic Acids Res 27(22):4324–4327
Soriano P (1999) Generalized lacZ expression with the ROSA26 Cre reporter strain. Nat Genet 21(1):70–71
Kothary R, Clapoff S, Brown A et al (1988) A transgene containing lacZ inserted into the dystonia locus is expressed in neural tube. Nature 335(6189):435–437
Kothary R, Clapoff S, Darling S et al (1989) Inducible expression of an hsp68-lacZ hybrid gene in transgenic mice. Development 105(4):707–714
Lu BC, Cebrian C, Chi X et al (2009) Etv4 and Etv5 are required downstream of GDNF and Ret for kidney branching morphogenesis. Nat Genet 41(12):1295–1302
Maretto S, Cordenonsi M, Dupont S et al (2003) Mapping Wnt/beta-catenin signaling during mouse development and in colorectal tumors. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 100(6):3299–3304
Burn SF, Webb A, Berry RL et al (2011) Calcium/NFAT signalling promotes early nephrogenesis. Dev Biol 352(2):288–298
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
About this protocol
Cite this protocol
Burn, S.F. (2012). Detection of β-Galactosidase Activity: X-gal Staining. In: Michos, O. (eds) Kidney Development. Methods in Molecular Biology™, vol 886. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-851-1_21
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-851-1_21
Published:
Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ
Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-850-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-851-1
eBook Packages: Springer Protocols