The emerging role for rat models in gene discovery. Mamm Genome 2011 Aug;22(7-8):466-75
Date
07/07/2011Pubmed ID
21732192Pubmed Central ID
PMC3643810DOI
10.1007/s00335-011-9346-2Scopus ID
2-s2.0-80051552900 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 23 CitationsAbstract
Rat models have been used for many decades to study physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms. Prior to the release of the rat genome and new technologies for targeting gene manipulation, the rat had been the underdog in the genomics era, despite the abundance of physiological data compared to the mouse. The overarching goal of biomedical research is to improve health and advance medical science. Translating human disease gene discovery and validation in the rat, through the use of emerging technologies and integrated tools and databases, is providing power to understand the genetics, environmental influences, and biology of disease. In this review we briefly outline the rat models, bioinformatics tools, and technologies that are changing the landscape of translational research. The strategies used to translate disease traits to genes to function, and, ultimately, to improve human health is discussed. Finally, our perspective on how rat models will continue to positively impact biomedical research is provided.
Author List
Dwinell MR, Lazar J, Geurts AMAuthors
Melinda R. Dwinell PhD Professor in the Physiology department at Medical College of WisconsinAron Geurts PhD Professor in the Physiology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AnimalsComputational Biology
Databases, Nucleic Acid
Genetic Association Studies
Genetics, Medical
Humans
Models, Animal
Rats
