Methods for defining cell types
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsTito Serafini, John Ngai
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Abstract
The invention provides methods and compositions for defining a cell type, generally involving the steps of (a) amplifying the mRNA of a single cell of a heterogenous population of cells; (b) probing a comprehensive expression library with the amplified mRNA to define a gross expression profile of the cell; and (c) comparing the gross expression profile of the cell with a gross expression profile of one or more other cells to define a unique expression profile of the cell, wherein the unique expression profile of the cell provides a marker defining the cell type
Claims13
A method for obtaining isolated cells of a subpopulation of cells defining a cell type defined by the expression of an endogenous gene, the method composing the steps of;
- isolating a population of cells from a transgenic animal comprising a transgene, wherein the transgene is inserted into a preselected, endogenous target gene comprising an endogenous promoter, expression of the transgene is controlled by the endogenous promoter and in a manner such that the expression of the transgene matches the expression of the target gene without decreasing native target gene expression, and the transgene encodes a selectable marker;
- detecting in the population of cells a subpopulation of cells expressing the selectable marker and defining a cell type;
- and
- isolating cells of the subpopulation, wherein the subpopulation is of neurons and the animal is a mouse.
A transgenic animal comprising a transgene, wherein the transgene is inserted into a preselected, endogenous target gene comprising an endogenous promoter, expression of the transgene is controlled by the endogenous promoter and in a manner such that the expression of the transgene matches the expression of the target gene without decreasing native target gene expression and the transgene encodes a selectable marker;
- wherein the selectable marker is expressed only in a subpopulation of cells in the animal defining a cell type, and wherein the subpopulation is of neurons and the animal is a mouse.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.