Calcitonin receptor Cre-driver mice

	August 2026 Mouse of the Month
Calcitonin receptor Cre-driver mice C57BL/6-Tg(Calcr-cre)1Oyak (RBRC11708)
In 2013, depositors (Dr. Kumi Kuroda and her colleagues) identified the medial preoptic area (MPOA) as a brain region essential for parental behavior in mice. When MPOA function is impaired, even mother mice with a strong inclination toward parenting and prior experience with childbirth and child-rearing will cease to care for their offspring [1]. At that time, it was known that the MPOA contained at least seven distinct neuronal populations, but it was unclear which of these populations played a critical role in parental behavior. In 2021, the depositors demonstrated that the calcitonin receptor (Calcr) and its ligand, amylin, are expressed in different neuronal populations within the MPOA, and that their expression is particularly elevated in mother mice. The expression of both Calcr and amylin increases significantly after childbirth [2,3]. In 2025, the depositors analyzed the activity of Calcr-positive neurons in the MPOA during affiliative social behavior using in vivo fiber photometry, a method of measuring and analyzing neuronal population activity in real time. The results revealed that Calcr-positive neurons are not activated during passive contact or contact with non-social objects but are selectively activated during spontaneous, motivated behaviors, such as active contact with other adult female mice or pup retrieval [4]. RIKEN BRC provides Cre driver mice (RBRC11708: C57BL/6-Tg(Calcr-cre)1Oyak) that carry the Cre recombinase gene downstream of the mouse calcitonin receptor (Calcr) gene promoter. As the functions of Calcr in mouse MPOA become clearer, our understanding of these processes at the cellular and molecular levels in humans is expected to advance. This will hopefully lead to a better understanding of parenting and social behaviors, as well as related disease research and medical applications.

August 2026
Mouse of the Month

C57BL/6-Tg(Calcr-cre)1Oyak (RBRC11708)

In 2013, depositors (Dr. Kumi Kuroda and her colleagues) identified the medial preoptic area (MPOA) as a brain region essential for parental behavior in mice. When MPOA function is impaired, even mother mice with a strong inclination toward parenting and prior experience with childbirth and child-rearing will cease to care for their offspring [1]. At that time, it was known that the MPOA contained at least seven distinct neuronal populations, but it was unclear which of these populations played a critical role in parental behavior. In 2021, the depositors demonstrated that the calcitonin receptor (Calcr) and its ligand, amylin, are expressed in different neuronal populations within the MPOA, and that their expression is particularly elevated in mother mice. The expression of both Calcr and amylin increases significantly after childbirth [2,3]. In 2025, the depositors analyzed the activity of Calcr-positive neurons in the MPOA during affiliative social behavior using in vivo fiber photometry, a method of measuring and analyzing neuronal population activity in real time. The results revealed that Calcr-positive neurons are not activated during passive contact or contact with non-social objects but are selectively activated during spontaneous, motivated behaviors, such as active contact with other adult female mice or pup retrieval [4].
RIKEN BRC provides Cre driver mice (RBRC11708: C57BL/6-Tg(Calcr-cre)1Oyak) that carry the Cre recombinase gene downstream of the mouse calcitonin receptor (Calcr) gene promoter. As the functions of Calcr in mouse MPOA become clearer, our understanding of these processes at the cellular and molecular levels in humans is expected to advance. This will hopefully lead to a better understanding of parenting and social behaviors, as well as related disease research and medical applications.

Keywords	:	calcitonin receptor, medial preoptic area, maternal behavior, nurturing behavior, social contact
Depositor	:	Kumi Kuroda, M.D., Ph.D. (RIKEN at the time of the strain deposition)
Strain name	:	C57BL/6-Tg(Calcr-cre)1Oyak
RBRC No.	:	RBRC11708
References	:	[1]	Tsuneoka Y, Maruyama T, Yoshida S, Nishimori K, Kato T, Numan M, Kuroda KO. Functional, anatomical, and neurochemical differentiation of medial preoptic area subregions in relation to maternal behavior in the mouse. J Comp Neurol. 2013 May 1;521(7):1633-63.
		[2]	Tsuneoka Y, Maruyama T, Yoshida S, Nishimori K, Kato T, Numan M, Kuroda KO. Functional, anatomical, and neurochemical differentiation of medial preoptic area subregions in relation to maternal behavior in the mouse. Cell Rep. 2021 Jun 1;35(9):109204.
		[3]	Why moms take risks to protect their infants Jun. 2, 2021 RIKEN Research News.
		[4]	Fukumitsu K, Yoshihara C, Huang AJ, McHugh TJ, Kuroda KO. In vivo recording from calcitonin receptor-expressing neurons in the medial preoptic area during affiliative social behaviors. Neurosci Res. 2025 Jul:216:104878.

August 2026
Saori Mizuno, Ph.D.
Contact: Experimental Animal Division, RIKEN BioResource Research Center (animal.brc@riken.jp)
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