Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Databases
  • Published:

Gene Expression Nervous System Atlas (GENSAT)

Nature Neuroscience volume 7, page 483 (2004)Cite this article

The project uses two approaches to gene-expression mapping. First, a high-throughput isotopic in situ hybridization prescreen for gene expression is done to map the expression of over 1,000 genes per year on sections from developing and adult mouse brain (at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee under the supervision of T. Curran, S. Magdaleno and P. Jensen). The genes analyzed as part of the prescreen are chosen by advisory committees representing a broad spectrum of the neuroscience community, by project sponsors at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and by the GENSAT investigators. Second, 250 genes are chosen each year from the prescreen data to be analyzed at high resolution using enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) reporter genes incorporated into BAC transgenic mice (at The Rockefeller University under the direction of N. Heintz, M.B. Hatten and A. Joyner). This two-stage approach takes advantage of the sensitivity, dynamic range and efficiency of isotopic in situ hybridization methodology to allow parallel analysis of large numbers of CNS-expressed genes, while exploiting BAC reporter gene technology to allow systematic analysis and high-resolution visualization of each cell type expressing a gene of interest. In addition to the atlas of gene expression created by the GENSAT team, the BAC transgenic mice are being used in a number of laboratories for advanced imaging studies, cell isolation by fluorescence-activated cell sorting, electrophysiological analysis of defined CNS cell populations, and additional anatomical studies. Furthermore, the BAC vectors identified by GENSAT provide a rich resource for additional genetic studies of specific CNS cell types through expression of site-specific recombinases, dominant-activating or dominant-negative proteins and RNAs, and other molecules created to alter the properties of cells. We anticipate that the gene expression atlas, as well as the in situ probes, the BAC transgenic mice and the BAC vectors generated by GENSAT, will be important tools for a broad range of neuroscientists.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Gong, S. et al. Nature 425, 917–925 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Rockefeller University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 1230 York Avenue, New York, 10021, New York, USA

    Nathaniel Heintz

Authors
  1. Nathaniel Heintz
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Heintz, N. Gene Expression Nervous System Atlas (GENSAT). Nat Neurosci 7, 483 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn0504-483

Download citation

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nn0504-483

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing