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Segmentation and Measurement of Fat Volumes in Murine Obesity Models Using X-ray Computed Tomography
Published on: April 4, 2012
Complex genetics of obesity in mouse models.
Daniel Pomp1, Derrick Nehrenberg, Daria Estrada-Smith
1Department of Nutrition, Carolina Center for Genome Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA. dpomp@unc.edu
Annual Review of Nutrition
|April 26, 2008
Summary
Mouse models are crucial for understanding the genetic basis of obesity. This review explores their evolving role in identifying obesity genes and dissecting complex trait architecture.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Obesity Research
- Animal Models
Background:
- Obesity is a complex polygenic trait influenced by genetic and environmental factors.
- Mouse models have been instrumental in unraveling the genetic architecture of obesity.
- The field is at a crossroads with human genome-wide association studies (GWAS) directly identifying obesity genes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current and future roles of mouse models in the genetics of complex obesity.
- To highlight advanced methods for gene discovery in polygenic obesity using mouse models.
- To examine the application of systems biology in dissecting obesity's genetic architecture.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on mouse models for obesity genetics.
- Analysis of systems biology approaches for complex trait dissection.
- Exploration of recent findings on the complexity of genetic variation and heritability in obesity.
Main Results:
- Mouse models offer powerful tools for discovering genes underlying polygenic obesity.
- Systems biology approaches are increasingly vital for understanding obesity's genetic complexity.
- Emerging research reveals greater complexity in the variation and heritability of obesity.
Conclusions:
- Mouse models remain essential for advancing our understanding of obesity genetics.
- Integrating systems biology with mouse studies will be key for future discoveries.
- The complexity of obesity necessitates sophisticated approaches to unravel its genetic underpinnings.
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