In vivo imaging of clock gene expression in multiple tissues of freely moving mice.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 27285820.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/ncomms11705 and PMC identifier 5446038.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Clock genes are expressed throughout the body, although how they oscillate in unrestrained animals is not known. Here, we show an in vivo imaging technique that enables long-term simultaneous imaging of multiple tissues. We use dual-focal 3D tracking and signal-intensity calibration to follow gene expression in a target area. We measure circadian rhythms of clock genes in the olfactory bulb, right and left ears and cortices, and the skin. In addition, the kinetic relationship between gene expression and physiological responses to experimental cues is monitored. Under stable conditions gene expression is in phase in all tissues. In response to a long-duration light pulse, the olfactory bulb shifts faster than other tissues. In Cry1(-/-) Cry2(-/-) arrhythmic mice circadian oscillation is absent in all tissues. Thus, our system successfully tracks circadian rhythms in clock genes in multiple tissues in unrestrained mice.
Medical subject headings
- CLOCK Proteins
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Molecular Imaging
- Movement
- Organ Specificity