GENSAT Tutorial

For up to date issues or problems with this database please see the wiki.
For more information, please visit Gene Expression Nervous System Atlas.

The GENSAT project aims to map the expression of genes in the central nervous system of the mouse, using both in situ hybridization and transgenic mouse techniques. It is a collection of pictorial gene expression maps of the brain and spinal cord of the mouse.   Images as well as mouse lines are made available from the site for the use of the research community. 

Using EGFP BAC-transgenics, this project provides the scientific community with tools to catalog, map, and electrophysiologically record from individual cells. Our application of Cre recombinase technologies allows for cell-specific gene manipulation. The transgenic mice created by this project are available to the scientific community.

It is important to note that any fluorescent images are obtained by simply photographing intrinsically fluorescent cells and can be used by electrophysiologists.

From the NIF interface we can search for any gene using the "gene:" command.  Here we search for GRM1 by typing gene:grm1
Note, the "gene:" search command gives all of the known synonyms of the gene symbol grm1.

After hitting enter or the search button, we can select the database tab and the "Images" or "Genes" categories.  Note, both tabs will lead to the same results from Gensat.  After clicking on the name GENSAT, the results can be viewed, see below:

The results include images of brain where the gene occurs, the gene name and structure where expression was found as well as cell type and other relevant data.
There are two active links for each result, the image itself which leads to a larger image and the gene name.  Clicking on the "Gene" name leads to the following page:

This link leads the user to the database record in GENSAT that describes the gene, including information about the probe, gene itself, BAC availability, images, and mouse line.  Below we see the result of clicking on link #4, Deployment of images.

Here is a tabular list of images in various orientations that are also available in NIF.
If we look a little further down, we can find the information for ordering this mouse line.

If we instead start by clicking on the image, we will be taken to the following page, showing the atlas images that are annotated with the gene of interest, in this case, GRM1.

Annotations of structures, and expression levels and patterns as well as cell types is found just below the images.

For more information, please visit Gene Expression Nervous System Atlas.