Related Experiment Videos
Mouse models for human diseases
S K Chung1, A YW Lee, S SM Chung
1Institute of Molecular Biology, The University of Hong Kong, 8 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
Abstract:
Mice are increasingly being used as models for the study of various human diseases. This is primarily because among mammalian modals, they are most amenable to genetic manipulations. As we attempt to understand the molecular mechanism of diseases, it is imperative that the genes involved in the disease process be identified. One approach is to study mouse mutants with symptoms analogous to human diseases, and try to identify the genes responsible. Another approach is to manipulate the expression of genes suspected to be involved and see how they affect the disease development. This review briefly discusses the concept of manipulating gene expression by transgenic and gene knockout technology and illustrates this with how these technique are used to study the mechanism of diabetic complications.
Insights
Mice are valuable models for studying human diseases due to genetic manipulation ease. This review explores using transgenic and gene knockout technologies to understand disease mechanisms, particularly diabetic complications.
Area of Science:
- Genetics and Genomics
- Translational Medicine
- Mammalian Models
Background:
- Mice are increasingly utilized as mammalian models for human disease research.
- Their amenability to genetic manipulation makes them ideal for studying molecular disease mechanisms.
- Identifying disease-related genes is crucial for understanding and treating human illnesses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the concept of manipulating gene expression in mice.
- To illustrate the application of these techniques in studying disease mechanisms.
- To highlight the use of these technologies in understanding diabetic complications.
Main Methods:
- Discussion of gene manipulation via transgenic technology.
- Explanation of gene knockout technology for studying gene function.
- Application of these techniques to model human diseases.
Main Results:
- Transgenic and gene knockout technologies allow targeted gene expression modification in mice.
- These methods facilitate the identification of genes involved in disease pathogenesis.
- The review illustrates their utility in dissecting the molecular basis of diabetic complications.
Conclusions:
- Genetic manipulation in mouse models is essential for advancing our understanding of human diseases.
- Transgenic and knockout technologies are powerful tools for molecular mechanism research.
- These techniques offer significant insights into complex conditions like diabetic complications.