What are knockout mice?
How will they help us determine human gene function? Knockout mice are transgenic mice whose genetic code has been altered by the insertion of foreign genetic material into their DNA. Using this technology, researchers target specific genes –causing them to be expressed or inactivated. These mice are then bred –creating a population of offspring with the trait. When researchers isolate human genes with unknown functions, they can create knockout mice with these genes and observe the results. Instead of creating merely the mouse equivalent of the human gene, researchers are able to reproduce and express actual human genes and their corresponding proteins in mice. Subsequent offspring will inherit not only the instructions coded by their original mouse genome, but also the traits coded for by the inserted human DNA. This helps researchers understand health and disease by observing how genes work in cells. Knockout mice have many benefits. They not only allow researchers to determine ge
