Transgenic mice. Current applications to the study of the auditory and vestibular systems

Understanding the variety of genetic disorders affecting the inner ear demands that we first comprehend the molecular mechanisms involved in its development. Mechanisms of development can best be understood by the study of mutant organisms. Progress in the study of mammalian development has been hampered by the difficulty inherent in the identification and isolation of mutated genes. Transgenic technology provides a direct experimental approach to the study of the control and tissue specificity of gene expression. Additionally, this technology allows new and exciting methods of human disease modeling. A by-product of this technology is the creation of insertional mutants, which provide a unique approach toward the identification of genes involved in a variety of developmental processes including those of hearing and balance.