Clonal Lineage Tracing
Clonal Lineage Tracing - Related Videos
07:48
A Method for Lineage Tracing of Corneal Cells Using Multi-color Fluorescent Reporter Mice
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Cited by 15 •
2015
In this article we describe the principles for designing and performing a multi-color lineage tracing experiment using R26R-Confetti mice. We provide a specific protocol for tracking corneal epithelial cells which can be modified for other tissues of interest.
09:25
Lineage Tracing and Clonal Analysis in Developing Cerebral Cortex Using Mosaic Analysis with Double Markers (MADM)
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Cited by 28 •
2020
A protocol to perform lineage tracing and functional genetic analysis of candidate genes at a single cell level using mosaic analysis with double markers (MADM) is presented. MADM clonal analysis provides a quantitative framework to measure the proliferative behavior, cellular output, and lineage relationship of individual progenitors and their daughter cells.
07:41
Clonal Genetic Tracing using the Confetti Mouse to Study Mineralized Tissues
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Cited by 4 •
2019
This method describes the use of the R26R-Confetti (Confetti) mouse model to study mineralized tissues, covering all steps from the breeding strategy to the image acquirements. Included is a general protocol that can be applied to all soft tissues and a modified protocol that can be applied to mineralized tissues.
06:40
Visualization of Chondrocyte Intercalation and Directional Proliferation via Zebrabow Clonal Cell Analysis in the Embryonic Meckel’s Cartilage
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Cited by 10 •
2015
Cell organization of craniofacial bones has long been hypothesized but never directly visualized. Multi-spectral cell labeling and in vivo live imaging allows visualization of dynamic cell behavior in zebrafish lower jaw. Here, we detail the protocol to manipulate Zebrabow transgenic fish and directly observe cell intercalation and morphological changes of chondrocytes in the Meckel’s cartilage.
09:44
Lineage Tracing of Inducible Fluorescently-Labeled Stem Cells in the Adult Mouse Brain
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Cited by 2 •
2022
The ability to permanently mark stem cells and their progeny with a fluorophore using an inducible transgenic lineage tracing mouse line allows for spatial and temporal analysis of activation, proliferation, migration, and/or differentiation in vivo. Lineage tracing can reveal novel information about lineage commitment, response to intervention(s), and multipotency.
FAQs
Because the label is retained as a founder cell produces progeny, researchers can identify cells that share that ancestral origin at later developmental stages. Genetic reporters provide a detectable signal, whereas DNA barcodes provide an inherited identifier. The shared label links descendants into a clone, making relationships traceable as tissues develop.
These three features provide complementary evidence. Clone size indicates how extensively a founder or progenitor population contributes, location shows where labeled descendants are found, and composition records the specialized cell types produced. Together, they help assess population expansion, migration, and fate decisions, including whether a lineage is self-renewing or transient.
Comparisons show whether a developmental perturbation changes the contribution or behavior of a lineage. Differences in clone size, tissue location, or cellular composition can indicate altered expansion, migration, or fate choice. This approach therefore connects a changed developmental condition with its cellular effects rather than examining descendant identities in only one setting.
An experiment begins by marking a founder cell or small group with a heritable genetic reporter or DNA barcode. As development proceeds, investigators detect the label in later progeny and record each clone's size, location, and composition. Comparing these measurements across developmental stages or conditions allows lineage relationships and contributions to be reconstructed.
It is particularly informative when researchers need to follow progenitor populations through tissue formation and determine how they generate specialized cell types. The method can also distinguish lineages that continue to self-renew from those that make only transient contributions. These outcomes help clarify tissue organization and how developmental trajectories unfold over time.
By comparing labeled descendants and clone properties under different conditions, researchers can examine how cellular contributions change during tissue development or regeneration. The same measurements can expose shifts in population expansion, migration, or fate decisions after a developmental perturbation. Such comparisons provide a cellular view of tissue organization and developmental response.