Generation of Retrogenic Mice to Investigate T Cell Development

Methods Mol Biol. 2023:2580:199-209. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2740-2_12.

Abstract

T cells develop in the thymus from bone marrow precursors, and genetic manipulation is an indispensable tool to explore their development in vivo. Retroviral transduction of T cell precursors in the bone marrow can be used to specifically eliminate or enforce gene expression. Here, we describe a fast and efficient method to ectopically express a gene in T cell precursors through retroviral transduction and transplant into recipient mice, which will enable laboratories to evaluate gene function in T cell development in vivo.

Keywords: Bone marrow chimera; Retrogenic mice; Retroviral transduction; T cell precursors.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Marrow / metabolism
  • Bone Marrow Cells / metabolism
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics
  • Mice
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell* / genetics
  • Retroviridae* / genetics
  • Retroviridae* / metabolism
  • Thymus Gland / metabolism

Substances

  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell