Chimeras and mosaics in mouse mutant analysis.
As the number of mouse mutants generated by gene targeting continues to grow exponentially, the challenge is not how to generate a mutant but how to analyse the phenotype. Genes might play multiple roles in development and act in cell-autonomous and cell non-autonomous modes, making phenotypic analysis complex. Genetic mosaic analysis is a powerful tool for dissecting complex gene functions. Classical preimplantation chimeras made between mutant and wild-type embryos can answer many questions, and new genetic techniques for generating restricted genetic mosaicism promise to enhance the future power of mosaic analysis in mammals.
Rossant
J
J
Department of Medical Genetics and Microbiology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. rossant@mshri.on.ca
Spence
A
A
D000818:Animals; D002678:Chimera / Q000235:genetics*; D018390:Gene Targeting; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009030:Mosaicism; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype