Quantification of adipocyte numbers in transgenic mice via the Cre-LoxP recombination sites

This protocol describes a method to assess adipocyte numbers within a specific depot based on their inducible genomic label. By extracting DNA from a complete adipose tissue depot stemming from two transgenic mouse lines (Adipoq-CreERT2 x ROSA26-tdRFP and Ucp1-CreERT2 x ROSA26-tdRFP), the number of adipocytes can be determined based on the quantification of the re-combined LoxPRed sites. This highly sensitive system allows for the quantifica-tion of white, brown, and brite/beige adipocytes in a spatially unbiased and size-independent manner.For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Moser et al. (2021).

Automated summary

This protocol outlines a method to assess adipocyte numbers within a specific depot based on inducible genomic labeling, allowing for quantification of white, brown, and brite/beige adipocytes in a size-independent manner. The system is highly sensitive and spatially unbiased, providing detailed information for research purposes.