title: Animal model for study of human hepatitis viruses.
abstract: Human hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infect only chimpanzees and humans. Analysis of both viruses has long been hampered by the absence of a small animal model. The recent development of human hepatocyte chimeric mice has enabled us to carry out studies on viral replication and cellular changes induced by replication of human hepatitis viruses. Various therapeutic agents have also been tested using this model. In the present review, we summarize published studies using chimeric mice and discuss the merits and shortcomings of this model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Division of Frontier Medical Science, Programs for Biomedical Research, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Japan Liver Research Project Center, Hiroshima, Japan. chayama@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chayama
authors.forename: C Nelson
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: Nobuhiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hiraga
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsuge
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imamura
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D002678:Chimera; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator