DBA/1LacJ-Dsg4^lah-J/J

Stock number: 002838
Product name: lanceolate hair Jackson
Research areas: Cell Biology Research, Dermatology Research, Developmental Biology Research

Description

These mice carry a spontaneous mutation at the Dsg4 locus characterized by thick skin, a failure to develop normal fur, and a lack of vibrissae.

Detailed description

Mice homozygous for the Dsg4^lah-J mutation completely lack vibrissae and develop only very short hair that resembles peach fuzz. This is lost by a few months of age, leaving these mice bald. They are runted from birth throughout life. These mice have hyperplasia in the interfollicular epidermis that leads to thickened skin, and their skin wrinkles as they age. Transmission electron micrographs of epidermis from Dsg4^lah-J homozygotes reveals acantholysis with small, poorly formed, and dislodged desmosomes. Rather than the normal gradual transition of keratinocytes from proliferation to differentiation in the lower hair follicle, the lanceolate hair mice show a premature, abrupt switch. Above the melanogenic zone a swelling forms that subsequently is pushed out by continued growth of the hair shaft to become the distal tip of the hair. Lanceolate hair mice take their name from the resulting lance-head shape of the hair. The less severely affected homozygotes can be used for breeding. Mice homozygous for either Dsg4^lah or Dsg4^lah-J have elevated serum IgE. (Montagutelli et al., 1996; Sundberg et al., 2000; Kljuic et al., 2003.)

Allele

Symbol: Dsg4^lah-J
Name: lanceolate hair Jackson
MGI accession ID: MGI:2661039
Generation method: Spontaneous
Marker symbol: Dsg4
Marker name: desmoglein 4
Chromosome: 18
Strain of origin: DBA/1LacJ
Molecular note: A spontaneous mutant found to be allelic to lah by complementation testing. The mutation in lah^J allele was identified as a single base insertion within exon 7 at following nucleotide 746. The frameshift creates a premature termination codon resulting in an unstable mRNA product.