title: Completion of the swine genome will simplify the production of swine as a large animal biomedical model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anatomic and physiological similarities to the human make swine an excellent large animal model for human health and disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cloning from a modified somatic cell, which can be determined in cells prior to making the animal, is the only method available for the production of targeted modifications in swine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Since some strains of swine are similar in size to humans, technologies that have been developed for swine can be readily adapted to humans and vice versa. Here the importance of swine as a biomedical model, current technologies to produce genetically enhanced swine, current biomedical models, and how the completion of the swine genome will promote swine as a biomedical model are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The completion of the swine genome will enhance the continued use and development of swine as models of human health, syndromes and conditions.
authors.affiliation: National Swine Resource and Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. walterse@missouri.edu
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Walters
authors.forename: Eckhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Jeffery J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Whyte
authors.forename: Jiude
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Renner
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagashima
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Jianguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: John K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Critser
authors.forename: Lela K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.forename: Randall S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Prather
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D035843:Biomedical Research; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D023421:Models, Animal; D013552:Swine / Q000235:genetics*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous