Figueres-Oñate M, García-Marqués Jorge, Ojalvo-Sanz A C, López-Mascaraque Laura
Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain.
Methods Mol Biol. 2025;2886:311-325. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4310-5_16.
StarTrack is a powerful multicolor genetic tool designed to unravel cellular lineages arising from neural progenitor cells (NPCs). This innovative technique, based on retrospective clonal analysis and built upon the PiggyBac system, creates a unique and inheritable "color code" within NPCs. Through the stochastic integration of 12 distinct plasmids encoding six fluorescent proteins, StarTrack enables precise and comprehensive tracking of cellular fates and progenitor potentials. The versatility of this tool is further enhanced by the potential of combining multiple promoters. Whether through the use of fluorescent integrable constructs or driving the expression of the PiggyBac transposase, StarTrack broadens the horizons for lineage tracing from progenitors of multiple origins.StarTrack revolutionized our understanding of cellular origins and lineages, offering an invaluable resource for researchers in the field of neural development and lineage tracing. This protocol provides a comprehensive overview of the technique's capabilities and applications, shedding light on its significance within the scientific community.
StarTrack是一种强大的多色遗传工具，旨在揭示神经祖细胞（NPCs）产生的细胞谱系。这项创新技术基于回顾性克隆分析，并建立在PiggyBac系统之上，在NPCs中创建了一个独特且可遗传的“颜色代码”。通过随机整合编码六种荧光蛋白的12种不同质粒，StarTrack能够精确且全面地追踪细胞命运和祖细胞潜能。通过组合多个启动子的潜力，该工具的多功能性得到了进一步增强。无论是通过使用荧光可整合构建体还是驱动PiggyBac转座酶的表达，StarTrack都拓宽了从多种起源祖细胞进行谱系追踪的视野。StarTrack彻底改变了我们对细胞起源和谱系的理解，为神经发育和谱系追踪领域的研究人员提供了宝贵资源。本方案全面概述了该技术的能力和应用，揭示了其在科学界的重要性。
