Subject collection: Tools and Resources for Mouse Studies
- Predicting human disease mutations and identifying drug targets from mouse gene knockout phenotyping campaigns
Summary: Large-scale, focused phenotyping campaigns provide data for thousands of mutant mouse genes, yielding key information for understanding rare human diseases and for developing novel drug therapies.
- Generating mouse models for biomedical research: technological advances
Summary: Newer molecular technologies to precisely and efficiently manipulate the mammalian genome are enabling the production of more scientifically valuable animal models.
- Pathogenic and non-pathogenic Escherichia coli colonization and host inflammatory response in a defined microbiota mouse model
Summary: Mice harboring a defined microbiota of the altered Schaedler flora were identified as a reliable tool to assess prolonged Escherichia coli intestinal colonization and activation of the host inflammatory response.
- Living inside the box: environmental effects on mouse models of human disease
Summary: The utility of mice as models of human disease is often questioned because they live in a controlled laboratory environment, unlike humans. The authors compare the environments of humans and mice, and find parallels, suggesting that they are not so different. Understanding how mouse and human environments affect phenotypes is critical for the development of models of human disease.
- Growth of human breast cancers in Peromyscus
Summary: Outbred stocks of Peromyscus californicus (California mice), upon pharmacological immunosuppression, provide an alternative to conventional inbred mice models, and can support the growth of hormone-insensitive and hormone-sensitive human breast cancers.
- Generation of a multipurpose Prdm16 mouse allele by targeted gene trapping
Summary: Described is the first targeting of an invertible gene trap to generate a conditional Prdm16 mouse allele and its use to assess phenotypic consequences of Prdm16 loss during craniofacial and brain development.
- Show and tell: disclosure and data sharing in experimental pathology
Summary: Reproducibility of findings in experiments using model organisms has recently become a source of concern, particularly for translational science. We discuss factors affecting the interpretation and reliability of experimental pathology findings in the mouse, and how disclosure and transparent reporting are crucial for replicability.
- Generation of brain tumours in mice by Cre-mediated recombination of neural progenitors in situ with the tamoxifen metabolite endoxifen
Summary: An active tamoxifen derivative can be used for the in vivo induction of recombination in situ in mice by CreERT2. We show how this method can be used to generate brain tumours through recombination of tumour suppressor genes in the subventricular zone.
- Using the mouse to model human disease: increasing validity and reproducibility
Summary: Raising standards for carrying out and reporting mouse model studies will improve reproducibility and relevance to human disease research.
- CLARITY and PACT-based imaging of adult zebrafish and mouse for whole-animal analysis of infections
Summary: The authors apply the CLARITY and PACT techniques to image infectious structures located deep within whole adult zebrafish and mouse organs, enabling visualization of mycobacterial granulomas and host response without sectioning.