Behavioral and physiological effects of biotechnology procedures used for gene targeting in mice

The effects of gene-targeting procedures on the behavior and physiological development of (chimeric) mice have been investigated. We used six groups of mice, each of them undergoing specific aspects of the biotechnological procedure, including electroporation, microinjection, and/or blastocyst culture. Changes in behavior and physiological development of the progeny (age 4-30 weeks) were investigated. Besides increased body weights, no significant difference between the six treatment groups and untreated C57BL/6 controls could be attributed to the biotechnology procedures. Therefore, we conclude that these procedures per se do not induce significant discomfort for the offspring. Differences in behavior, observed for the two groups of chimeric mice [one derived from electroporated embryonic stem (ES) cells and the other from nonelectroporated ES cells] when compared to the other (nonchimeric) groups, are, at least partly, due to the genetic background of the 129/Ola strain from which the ES cells are derived rather than to the biotechnological manipulations of the ES cells and/or blastocysts. The occurrence of hermaphrodites (8%) and some other gross pathologies observed in both groups of chimeric animals seem to indicate that developmental problems may occur when cells from different origin are simultaneously contributing to the development of one individual. This implies that during the production of gene-targeted mice, health and welfare of chimeric animals must be carefully monitored.