Methods for Conditional and Inducible Transgene Expression to Direct the Development of Embryonic, Embryonic Stem, Precursor and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Methods are disclosed in which the expression of a specific gene, or combinations of genes, is controlled spatially and temporally to develop intra- and interspecies chimeras. A transgenic EC/ES/P/iPS cell line is created which conditionally expresses a suicide or compromiser gene configured to compromise all cell lineages except that corresponding to a target tissue/organ. The EC/ES/P/iPS cell line is injected into donor embryos having a specific target gene deficiency or embryos genetically engineered to be complementary compromised in lineages corresponding to the target tissue/organ cell lineages of the EC/ES/P/iPS line. One or more stimuli is provided to the embryo to activate compromiser genes for ablation of non-target tissues/organs of the EC/ES/P/iPS line and target tissues/organs of the host embryo, resulting in a chimeric animal having target tissues/organs derived from the genotype of the transgenic cell line and all remaining tissues/organs derived from the donor embryo.
