Fl/fl mice意思

"fl/fl" in the context of mice genetics stands for "floxed/floxed". Mice that are "floxed" have a specific gene that has been modified with "loxP" sites, which are short sequences of DNA. These loxP sites flank a region of the gene that is intended to be deleted or modified.

When a mouse is referred to as "fl/fl", it means that it carries two copies of the floxed gene - one from its mother and one from its father. In order to delete the targeted region of the gene, an enzyme called Cre recombinase must be introduced into the mouse. Cre recombinase binds to the loxP sites and catalyzes the deletion of the DNA between them.

Floxed mice are commonly used in research to study gene function, as they allow researchers to turn off specific genes in a controlled manner. For example, by crossing a floxed mouse with a mouse that expresses Cre recombinase in a particular tissue or at a certain time during development, researchers can delete the floxed gene specifically in that tissue or at that time, and observe the effects on the mouse's development, physiology, or behavior.