Two Novel CreERT2 Transgenic Mouse Lines to Study Melanocytic Cells In Vivo

The study introduced two novel transgenic mouse models, Nestin-CreER^T2 and Aldh1L1-CreER^T2, to investigate melanocytic cells in vivo. These models utilized the inducible Cre-loxP system to target and monitor melanocyte lineage cells, which are crucial for understanding melanoma development and potential treatments. The research demonstrated that genes typically associated with neural cells, such as Aldh1L1 and Nestin, are also expressed in melanocytic cells. Through immunohistochemical analysis, the study successfully mapped the fate of recombined stem cells in the adult hair follicle, suggesting these models could be valuable for studying and potentially modulating adult melanocytic cells.