Figure 1.

The tissue distribution of FAP⁺ stromal cells in the adult mouse. (A) A Fap-containing BAC was modified by inserting at the start codon a cassette encoding the DTR, Luc2, and mCherry linked by E2A sequences. (B) BAC transgenic mice in which luciferase and the DTR are expressed in FAP⁺ stromal cells and littermate mice were assayed for bioluminescence before and 24 h after two daily doses of 25 ng/g DTX. (C) Organs that had been dissected from DTX- or vehicle-treated BAC transgenic mice from B were assessed for bioluminescence. (B and C) The scale represents relative counts. (D) FAP mRNA levels were measured in different tissues by qRT-PCR. (E) FAP mRNA levels were correlated with those of luciferase, a marker of the expression of the BAC transgene, across different tissues by qRT-PCR. (F) Tissues were enzymatically dissociated, and cells were stained with antibodies to FAP and CD45 for analysis by flow cytometry. Numbers represent the percentage of live cells gated as FAP⁺. (G) CD45⁻FAP⁺, CD45⁻FAP⁻, and CD45⁺ cells were sort purified from skeletal muscle and assessed by qRT-PCR for FAP and luciferase/transgene mRNA. Error bars represent SEM. MOE, main olfactory epithelium. Data are representative of more than three independent analyses (n ≥ 3; B–G).