Transgenic animal models in translational biomedicine

Аннотация

Recent revolutionary transgenic approaches have significantly increased the power of translational biomedical research. For instance, genetic animal models of brain disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, Parkinson’s disease and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have been created. Such animal models are the valuable tools for the study of aetiology and pathogenesis of human disorders, as well as for the early pre-clinical drug development in pharmacology. In this article the advantages of transgenic mouse and rat models for studying and modeling human disease are reviewed. At the Saint Petersburg University there is a library of the most relevant animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders, including mice lacking the dopamine transporter (DAT-KO mice) and rats without brain serotonin (tryptophan hydroxylase 2 knockout, TPH2-KO). This collection of psychopharmacologyrelevant mutant models is planned to be routinely used in future collaborative studies with Russian and international drug development institutions and companies.

Ключевые слова:

disease modeling, knockout animals, knock-in animals, transgene techniques, mice, rats, Psychopharmacology, dopamine, trace amines