A Fast and Sensitive Alternative for β-galactosidase Detection in Mouse Embryos

Overview

Journal Development

Specialty Biology

Date 2012 Nov 8

PMID 23132248

Citations 22

Authors

Sakthi Sundararajan

Maki Wakamiya

Richard R Behringer

Jaime A Rivera-Perez

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The bacterial lacZ gene is widely used as a reporter in a myriad of mouse transgenic experiments. β-Galactosidase, encoded by lacZ, is usually detected using X-gal in combination with ferric and ferrous ions. This assay produces a blue indole precipitate that is easy to detect visually. Here, we show that Salmon-gal in combination with tetrazolium salts provides a more sensitive and faster staining reaction than the traditional β-galactosidase assay in mouse embryos. Using a combination of Salmon-gal and tetranitroblue tetrazolium, we were able to visualize the activity of β-galactosidase in embryos at stages when the customary X-gal reaction failed to detect staining. Our studies provide an enhanced alternative for β-galactosidase detection in expression and cell fate studies that use lacZ-based transgenic mouse lines.

Citing Articles

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