An Efficient Inducible Model for the Control of Gene Expression in Renin Cells

Fate mapping and genetic manipulation of renin cells have relied on either noninducible lines that can introduce the developmental effects of gene deletion or bacterial artificial chromosome transgene-based inducible models that may be prone to spurious and/or ectopic gene expression. To circumvent these problems, we generated an inducible mouse model in which is under the control of the endogenous gene, an independent marker of renin cells that is expressed in a few extrarenal tissues. We confirmed the proper expression of using ; mice in which Akr1b7/renin cells become green fluorescent protein (GFP) upon tamoxifen administration. In embryos and neonates, GFP was found in juxtaglomerular cells, along the arterioles, and in the mesangium, and in adults, GFP was present mainly in juxtaglomerular cells. In mice treated with captopril and a low-salt diet to induce recruitment of renin cells, GFP extended along the afferent arterioles and in the mesangium. We generated mice to conditionally delete renin in adult mice and found a marked reduction in kidney renin mRNA and protein and mean arterial pressure in mutant animals. When subjected to a homeostatic threat, mutant mice were unable to recruit renin cells. Most importantly, these mice developed concentric vascular hypertrophy ruling out potential developmental effects on the vasculature due to the lack of renin. We conclude that mice constitute an excellent model for the fate mapping of renin cells and for the spatial and temporal control of gene expression in renin cells. Fate mapping and genetic manipulation are important tools to study the identity of renin cells. Here, we report on a novel mouse model, , for the spatial and temporal regulation of gene expression in renin cells. is properly expressed in renin cells during development and in the adult under basal conditions and under physiological stress. Moreover, renin can be efficiently deleted in the adult, leading to the development of concentric vascular hypertrophy.