Col1a1-GFP transgene expression in developing incisors.

Previous studies have shown that terminal differentiation of odontoblasts is accompanied by dramatic increases in type I collagen synthesis. Recently transgenic mice in which green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression is under the control of the rat 3.6 (pOBCol3.6GFPtpz) and 2.3 (pOBCol2.3GFPemd) Col1a1 promoter fragments were generated. Our analysis of these GFP-expressing transgenic mice shows that the 2.3-kb promoter fragment directs strong expression of GFP only to bones and teeth, whereas the 3.6-kb fragment of promoter directs strong expression of GFP in bone and tooth, as well as in other type I collagen producing tissues. Our observations of incisors in these transgenic mice show high levels of GFP expression in functional odontoblasts and in differentiated osteoblasts. These observations show that expression of GFP reporter genes closely follow the patterns of expression of alpha 1(I) collagen in various tissues including odontoblasts.