Mouse models with human immunity and their application in biomedical research.

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Biomedical Research
• Animal Models

Background:

• In vitro studies lack the complexity of living organisms.
• Humanized mice overcome this limitation by engrafting human components into immunodeficient mice.
• Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and recombination activating gene (Rag) (null) mice are commonly used recipients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the development and applications of humanized mouse models.
• To highlight elements of an ideal humanized mouse model.
• To propose strategies for improving engraftment efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Transplantation of human immune cells, fetal tissues (thymus, liver), bone marrow, or lymph nodes into immunodeficient mice.
• Genetic and non-genetic modifications of recipient mice.
• Review of existing literature on humanized mouse model applications.

Main Results:

• Humanized mice successfully reconstitute human immunity, enabling in vivo studies.
• These models are crucial for investigating human immunobiology and disease pathomechanisms.
• Applications span autoimmune diseases, viral infections, transplantation, and tumor biology.

Conclusions:

• Humanized mouse models are indispensable tools for biomedical research.
• Improving engraftment efficiency remains a key area for development.
• These models offer significant potential for advancing human disease research and therapy development.