Immunohistochemical characterization of a gene-targeted UcnCre line of mice

<p><span>Neurons expressing Urocortin-1 (Ucn) in the Edinger Westphal (EW) nucleus have been hypothesized to play an important role in regulating consummatory behaviors and metabolism, affective-like behaviors, and responses to stress. We generated <em>Ucn^Cre</em> mice to allow measurement and manipulation of Ucn neuron activity. The images of immunostaining included here demonstrate Cre-induced protein expression in EW cell bodies and projection fibers following a genetic cross to <em><span>Rosa26^LSL-tdTomato</span></em>^{<span>&nbsp;</span>}mice (tdTomato expression) and a viral injection of <span>pAAV1-Ef1a-DIO-Syn:mCherry </span>(eliciting synaptophysin-mCherry expression). The tdTomato expression can also be seen in cell bodies in the anterior insular cortex, likely as a result of those cells transiently expressing Ucn during development.</span></p>