Animal research transgenic

Houdebine, L. 2000. Transgenic animal bioreactors. Transgenic Research 9(4-5), 305-320. 

Appendix Q specifies containment and confinement practices for research involving whole animals, both those in which the animal s genome has been altered by stable introduction of recombinant DNA, or DNA derived therefrom, into the germ-line (transgenic animals) and experiments involving viable recombinant DNA-modified microorganisms tested on whole animals. The appendix applies to animal research activities with the following modifications. 

Various animal species have been exploited in experimental atherosclerosis research, but nowadays most of the research is performed in mice [139]. This species has the advantage of developing atherosclerotic lesions in a relatively short period of time. The emergence of a broad variety of knock-out and transgenic mouse strains has led to a huge increase in the atherosclerosis research performed in this species. Mice are resistant to atherosclerosis when fed a normal low-fat chow diet, but they can develop atherosclerotic lesions after hypercholes-terolaemia has been induced. The three most widely used models in research on atherosclerosis are diet-induced, apoE deficiency-induced or LDL receptor deficiency-induced [139]. 

The most recent twist in the use of recombinant DNA technology to produce drugs has been the development of transgenic plants with many of the capabilities of transgenic animals. Some authorities refer to this field of research as molecular farming and call the products of their research farmaceuticals. 

One method, first successfully attempted in mice in the 1970s, uses newly fertilized eggs. The researchers use a very fine needle to inject the desired DNA into the area containing the DNA from the sperm, before the sperm and egg have fused. The injected DNA may become part of the sperm DNA. After fusion has occurred, the fertilized egg is allowed to develop into a two-cell embryo, which is then implanted into a female mouse. If the embryo attaches to the uterus, the pregnancy will go forward and healthy pups, or baby mice, will develop. Successful development of transgenic mice is not certain, because only one-third of the embryos placed into a mouse uterus develop into live animals, and only a few may carry the transgene and produce the desired protein. 

In animal cloning, researchers introduce foreign DNA primarily with the use of viral vectors or microinjection. These techniques can produce transgenic animals and provide new methods for human gene therapy. 

There has been explosive growth in the number of disease models in recent decades, especially in the field of the knockouts and transgenic rodents. A description of the most frequently used models alone would take a separate volume, and even that would be outdated within no time. Information on the selection of models and background data can easily be found on the Internet. The US National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) provides overviews and links [12], In addition the main providers of laboratory animals have very useful information on their Web sites. Readers looking for overviews on animal models per disease may find useful information in the Drug Discovery Today Disease Models review journal (http //www.drugdiscoverytoday.com). 

---