The plasmalemma vesicle associated protein Plvap gene encodes an endothelial membrane glycoprotein essential for proper stomatal and fenestral endothelial diaphragm formation.
These mice possess loxP sites on either side of exons 2 through 5 of the targeted gene. Mice that are homozygous for this allele are viable and fertile. When these mutant mice are bred to mice that express Cre recombinase, resulting offspring will have 2 through 5 deleted in the cre-expressing tissues.
When bred to a strain with Cre recombinase expression in endothelial cells (see Stock No. 004128 for example), this mutant mouse strain may be useful in studies of microvascular permeability.
When bred to mice carrying Tg(Cdh5-cre)1Spe (Stock No. 017968), Cre recombinase expression in vascular endothelial cells results in lethality (genetic background dependent), diaphragm loss and leakage of plasma proteins.
