Lecture 2 Flashcards
Why animal models?
1
Q
What is a model organism?
A
A non-human species that is extensively studied to understand a particular biological phenomena
2
Q
Why can we use model organisms?
A
The common descent of all living organisms. Genetic material, metabolic and developmental pathways have been conserved over evolution too
3
Q
How are they picked?
A
Chance Costs Easy to maintain Easy to phenotypically score Easy to genetically manipulate
4
Q
6 reasons for using animal models
A
- Can be examined over lifecourse
- Can examine GxE as models are genetically-tractable (model disease) and can be examined in large numbers
- Used to understand mechanisms (correlation to cause)
- Transgenic reporter lines
- Developments of new therapeutics
- Whole organism or whole system analysis
5
Q
Explain a tissue specific knock out
A
Tg mouse 1: Gene of interest is flanked by lox sites
Tg mouse 2: Cre recombinase downstream of tissue-specific promotor
Cross animals and the gene of interest will be knocked out under specific tissue conditions
