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.
Department of Medical Genetics and Microbiology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. rossant@mshri.on.ca
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Rossant
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Spence
D000818:Animals; D002678:Chimera / Q000235:genetics*; D018390:Gene Targeting; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009030:Mosaicism; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype