ArticleeNeuro
Targeting Microglia Using Cx3cr1-Cre Lines: Revisiting the Specificity.
Article in eNeuro. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 69 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
69 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Microglia Mediate Metabolic Dysfunction From Common Air Pollutants Through NF-κB Signaling.Diabetes · 2024Pooled it
- Utility of the Recombinase Driver CX3CR1-ERT2 Rat Strain in Nicotine Self-Administration.Cells · 2026Article
- Neuronal expression of retinoid-related orphan receptor gamma (RORγ) and revisiting its role in the central nervous system.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Chemokine-Receptor Modulation Shapes Neuroinflammatory and Biomechanical Responses in Organotypic Hippocampal Cultures After Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation.ACS chemical neuroscience · 2026Article
- Microglia Rank signaling regulates GnRH neuronal function and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.Science (New York, N.Y.) · 2026Article
- Myeloid compartment reprogramming through nanoparticle-delivered resiquimod blocks paracrine growth support and activates phagocytosis to slow tumor progression in endogenous mouse medulloblastoma and diffuse midline glioma models.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Complement 3a Receptor mediates high fat diet induced hypothalamic accumulation of lipid associated microglia to regulate neuroinflammation and obesity.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Methodological guidelines for P2X receptor assays and data interpretation.Cell death & disease · 2026Review
- The Arp2/3 complex controls the development of homeostatic microglia.EMBO reports · 2026Article
- Neuronal expression of Retinoid-Related Orphan Receptor Gamma (RORγ) and revisiting its role in the Central Nervous System.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Microglial reactivity and neuroinflammation-driven changes in motivational behaviors are regulated by Orai1 calcium channels.Science signaling · 2026Article
- Article
- A method for distinguishing and separating retinal microglia from infiltrating macrophages during an ocular inflammatory event.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Article
- Generation and characterization of a tamoxifen-inducible, Cre driver rat for transgene expression in microglia.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Generation and characterization of a tamoxifen-inducible, Cre driver rat for transgene expression in microglia.Research square · 2025Article
- A common Iba1 antibody labels vasopressin neurons in mice.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025Article
- ALS/FTD-linked TBK1 deficiency in microglia induces an aged-like microglial signature and drives social recognition deficits in mice.Nature communications · 2025Article
- Microglia-mediated inflammation and synaptic pruning contribute to sleep deprivation-induced mania in a sex-specific manner.Translational psychiatry · 2025Article
- The Arp2/3 complex is required forbioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025Article
- Microglial ER stress response via IRE1α regulates diet-induced metabolic imbalance and obesity in mice.Molecular metabolism · 2025Article
9 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Microglia play a pivotal role in maintaining homeostasis of the CNS. There is growing interest in understanding how microglia influence normal brain function and disease progression. Several microglia-specific Cx3cr1-Cre lines have been developed and have become indispensable tools in many investigations of microglial function. However, some recent studies have reported that these lines may have significant leakage into neurons. Other studies have reported that Cx3cr1 is expressed in non-microglial cells, including neurons and astrocytes, in vitro or in vivo either during brain development or upon neurological insult. All these reports raise serious concerns about the trustworthiness of these Cre-lines and whether the conclusions drawn from previous studies are valid. Here, we found that a floxed fluorescent reporter mouse line which has been frequently used to verify Cre lines displayed spontaneous expression of the GFP reporter, independent of Cre recombinase, thus revealing a potential caveat in assessing cre lines. We further confirmed that two Cx3cr1-Cre mouse lines can drive fluorescent reporter expression largely restrictively in microglia. Finally, we clarified that these two mouse lines maintain microglia-specific expression even following excitatory injury. Together, our findings confirm that two previously created Cx3cr1-Cre lines remain as invaluable tools for studying microglia. Moreover, to ensure the quality of data generated and the soundness of conclusions drawn from such data, it should be compulsory to thoroughly examine reporter lines for spontaneous leakiness when labeling cells to study CNS function and diseases.
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