[The research applications of db/db mouse]

The db/db mice are perfect animal models of type 2 diabetes which have been widely used. The phenotypes of severe obesity, hyperphagia, polydipsia, and polyuria are due to a spontaneous mutation of the leptin receptor (Lepr). The course of the disease is markedly influenced by genetic background, which is more serious in the C57BLKS/J background. And there are many other spontaneous mutations in different sites of Lepr, which produce a series of animal models of obesity, including db(3J)/ db(3J) mice, db(5j)/db(5J) mice, db(pas)/db(pas) mice, Zucker fa/fa rats, and Koletsky fa(k)/fa(k) rats, etc. These rodents appear similar hyperphagia and severe obesity, but different levels of blood glucose, kidney damage and reproductive ability, providing profuse material to investigate the complex function of Lepr. Here we review the history of the discovery of the leptin signaling pathway, the abnormal phenotypes of db/db mice in metabolic, reproductive, immune, etc. Discuss their research applications, reproductive strategy, genotyping guideline, the phenotypic diversity of those animal models with Lepr spontaneous mutation and their mutation patterns, respectively.