What Are Transgenic Mice?

What are transgenic mice and why have they become so popular in recent years? So many scientific articles contain the use of transgenic mice. An overall strategy is to create a humanized line to study a particular human gene or a certain human disease. Once a new strain of humanized mice has been developed, it can be used to understand debilitating diseases such as cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes and more. However, there is much more to it than seems at first glance, because specific transgenic mouse models are reached more accurately than ever with the help of advanced technologies such as CRISPR / Cas9. What are transgenic mice used for? The details on answering this question can fill entire volumes.

An introduction to transgenic mouse models
So let's start at the beginning: what are transgenic mice? The short answer is that they are mice that have been artificially modified at genetic level to include a foreign sequence or a transgene. This often includes the insertion of a human gene into the genome of the mouse to make a humanized mouse. The method for making transgenic mice is versatile and it is possible to make transgenic mice for many different types of research.


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Different methods of making mouse lines can cause confusion when trying to understand what transgenic mice are made for. In general, transgenic mouse models are created by random insertion of a gene, while the knockin models show the introduction of the gene at a specific locus. within the mouse genome. Making models with the knock-in strategy is more complex but removes the unpredictable element that comes with random transgenic insertion. Carefully evaluating the options and your research plans is crucial for the success of your laboratory research in the long term.Knockin vs. Transgenic mice

The usefulness of the Transgenic mouse for research
A new transgenic mouse model generated by random insertion of foreign DNA can be a stimulus for your current research. Compared to most models, transgenic mice can be made at relatively low cost and in a shorter time. For example, if you study a particular human gene, you can examine its function by creating a transgenic model that expresses it in the mouse.

The effective generation of specific mouse models
If you continue to study the gene over time, it may be that the random element inherent to transgenic models becomes an obstacle. A common problem is that it is better if the mouse gene is switched off at the same time that the corresponding human gene is expressed. Because the transgene is inserted at a random location, you must cross the new line with a knock-out line and follow two alleles during your examination. A targeted knockin model can eliminate this by combining expression of the human sequence with knockout of the mouse sequence at a single genomic site. These and other benefits can make this model a cornerstone of your research for years. However, if you focus on your immediate research goals, a transgenic mouse can be the tool you need.