The cadherin16 (CDH16) gene encodes a calcium-dependent membrane-associated glycoprotein. It belongs to the cadherin superfamily and is a cell adhesion molecule involved in embryonic development and growth. This protein is exclusively expressed in the kidneys, hence it is also known as kidney-specific calcium-binding protein (ksp-calmodulin). CDH16 plays a crucial role in homotypic cell recognition and contributes to tissue morphogenesis, particularly during the formation of renal tubules in embryonic development. In kidney development, CDH16 is specifically highly expressed in renal tubular epithelial cells of the kidneys and the genitourinary (GU) tract, where it plays an essential role in urine concentration and excretion. In adult mice, the expression of this gene is restricted to renal tubular epithelial cells. Mutations or functional abnormalities in the CDH16 gene may be associated with idiopathic renal tubular acidosis and uric acid nephropathy.

The Cdh16-iCre mouse was generated by inserting an optimized codon-modified Cre recombinase (iCre) gene expression cassette into the endogenous Cdh16 gene of mice, driving its specific expression. The iCre recombinase expression pattern is similar to the endogenous gene, and the mouse Cdh16 gene expression remains unaffected. When the Cdh16-iCre mice are crossed with mice containing loxP sites, the offspring’s renal and genitourinary tract epithelial cells can undergo sequence recombination between loxP sites mediated by Cre recombinase. Compared to Cdh16-Cre mice (catalog number: C001452), this strain exhibits higher Cre recombination efficiency in kidney tissue. However, it’s essential to note that there is an increased risk of Cre recombinase expression leakage in other tissues, including the reproductive system. Therefore, when targeting gene knockout, especially in cases where embryonic or postnatal lethality is a concern, it is advisable to prioritize the Cdh16-Cre mouse model.