Transgenic and Knockout Mice
Oxytocin (Oxt) Transgenics
- Rat oxytocin gene expressed in mice (I)
- Rat oxytocin gene expressed in mice (II)
- Mice that express green fluorescent protein (GFP) in oxytocin neurons
- Targeting of GFP to secretory granules, and subsequent stimulated release
- Review with tables of various transgenic lines we generated
- Some studies from other labs using these mice
Oxytocin (Oxt) Knockout†
- Initial description of mice lacking functional oxytocin
- Initial behavioral studies
- Mammary gland involution
- Mammary gland development
- Sociability
- Role in Bruce Effect (pregnancy block)
- Role in prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex
- Role in social recognition
- Some studies from other labs using these mice
Oxytocin Receptor (Oxtr) Knockout - conditional†
- Initial description of a conditional knockout of the oxytocin receptor
- Role in intrastrain, not interstrain, social recognition
- Increased pup mortality in forebrain knockouts
- Role in fear conditioning after post-weaning forebrain elimination
- Deficits in the expression of autism-related behaviors
- Bone marrow oxytocin mediates the anabolic action of estrogen on the skeleton
- Oxtr Expression in Hippocampal Areas CA2/CA3 Enables Potentiation of Excitatory Synaptic Responses.
- Raphe serotonin neuron-specific oxytocin receptor knockout reduces aggression without affecting anxiety-like behavior in male mice only.
- Some studies from other labs using these mice
Vasopressin 1a Receptor (Avpr1a) Knockout
- Our initial characterization
- Role in ethanol intoxication
- Role in Bruce Effect (pregnancy block)
- Role in fear conditioning after post-weaning forebrain Oxtr elimination
Vasopressin 1b Receptor (Avpr1b) Knockout†
- Initial description of the vasopressin 1b receptor knockout mice
- Reduced social motivation
- Avpr1b localization to the hippocampal area CA2 pyramidal neurons
- Role in ethanol intoxication
- Role in social and predatory attack behaviors and defense
- Role in response to restraint and hypoglycemic stresses
- Role in response to LPS and ethanol stresses
- Sociability
- Role in Bruce Effect (pregnancy block)
- Impairment of memory for temporal order
- Aggression in a more wild background.
- Social dominance in male vasopressin 1b receptor knockout mice.
- Hippocampal Area CA2 Expression of Avpr1b Enables Intermale Aggression and Potentiation of Excitatory Synaptic Responses.
- Some studies from other labs using these mice
†Our lines that are available from the Jackson Laboratories:
Oxt-eGFP | Oxt KO | Conditional Oxtr KO | Avpr1b KO