Related Experiment Videos
Mouse models of insulin resistance
Anindita Nandi1, Yukari Kitamura, C Ronald Kahn
1Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Physiological Reviews
|March 27, 2004
Summary
Insulin resistance contributes to diseases like diabetes and obesity, influenced by both genes and environment. Mouse models reveal the complex, polygenic interactions underlying this metabolic condition, aiding research into its causes.
Area of Science:
- Metabolic research
- Genetics of disease
- Rodent models in medicine
Background:
- Insulin resistance is central to diseases such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular conditions.
- Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to an individual's susceptibility to insulin resistance.
- The genetic basis of insulin resistance is complex and heterogeneous, making gene variant identification challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the pathogenesis of insulin resistance.
- To utilize mouse models to test hypotheses regarding insulin resistance.
- To explore the polygenic nature of insulin resistance.
Main Methods:
- Targeted mutagenesis in rodents
- Transgenesis in rodents
- Experimental crosses among mutant mice
Main Results:
- Development of mouse models for studying insulin resistance.
- Demonstration of the polygenic interactions involved in insulin resistance.
Conclusions:
- Mouse models are valuable tools for understanding the pathogenesis of insulin resistance.
- Insulin resistance is a complex trait influenced by multiple interacting genes.