Transgenic mouse models of multiple sclerosis.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS) and a frequent cause of neurological disability in young adults. Multifocal inflammatory lesions in the CNS white matter, demyelination, oligodendrocyte loss, axonal damage, as well as astrogliosis represent the histological hallmarks of the disease. These pathological features of MS can be mimicked, at least in part, using animal models. This review discusses the current concepts of the immune effector mechanisms driving CNS demyelination in murine models. It highlights the fundamental contribution of transgenesis in identifying the mediators and mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of MS models.
Scheikl
Tanja
T
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité 563, Toulouse, France. tanja.scheikl@inserm.fr
Pignolet
Béatrice
B
Mars
Lennart T
LT
Liblau
Roland S
RS
D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018925:Chemokines / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000939:Epitopes; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D000939:Epitopes; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell