METHODS AND PRODUCTS FOR DETERMINING F4/80 GENE EXPRESSION IN MICROGLIAL CELLS

摘要

The invention relates in some aspects to nucleic acid constructs, transgenic cells, non- human transgenic animals, that include a reporter protein whose expression is induced by macrophage activation. The reporter transgene is operatively linked to a fragment of an F4/80 promoter. The invention in part, also relates to the use of the nucleic acid constructs, transgenic cells, non-human transgenic animals in determining macrophage activation status in cells, tissues, and animals with induced macrophage activation or with a disease or disorder that is associated with macrophage activation, hi some aspects, the invention also relates to methods of identifying compounds that enhance or inhibit macrophage activation and for identification and monitoring of biomolecular pathways associated with macrophage activation.