B6;129P2-Gt(ROSA)26Sor^{tm1(Trpv1, ECFP)Mde}/J

A loxP-flanked neomycin cassette blocks expression of the rat Trpv1 (transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily V, member 1) gene driven by the Gt(ROSA)26Sor gene in this targeted mutation/knock-in strain. Upon crossing to a tissue-specific Cre-expressing strain, TRPV1 and enhanced cyan fluorescent protein (ECFP) is expressed from the ROSA locus. Cells expressing TRPV1 are sensitive to capsaicin and similar chemical agonists. Treatment of mice or cells that have undergone Cre excision to remove the neomycin cassette can induce strong inward currents, trigger action potentials and activate stereotyped behaviors, allowing cell-type specific chemical genetic control of neuronal activity in vitro and in vivo. These mice may also be useful in studies of TCR signalling in T cells.