Transgenic animals in the study of blood pressure regulation and hypertension

It is generally accepted that the etiology of essential hypertension is due to a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors. A great deal of research effort over the past ten years has been focused on the identification of genes the variants of which predispose individuals to high blood pressure. Consequently, transgenic and knockout animals have become important research tools, providing experimental systems in which defined genetic manipulations can be introduced on uniform genetic backgrounds while minimizing environmental variation. These animal models have provided the means by which candidate genes thought to be involved in blood pressure regulation have been studied. Furthermore, these models can be used to test the significance of genes and gene variants identified via genome-wide searches as potential causes of hypertension. The purpose of this review is to provide a brief discussion of transgenic and knockout methodology and its application to study the genetic basis of hypertension.