Think of Pavlov’s conditioned reflexes and the poor puppy! ! !
Diseases pose a major threat to human health and survival and are one of the most important social problems facing countries around the world. Although science and technology and medicine have made great progress and development, the pathogenesis of most genetic diseases is still poorly understood, so fundamental treatments cannot be carried out. Measures can only be taken to slow down the occurrence of the syndrome and relieve the patient's temporary suffering. Genetic factors can be found in almost all human diseases. Therefore, genetic diseases not only refer to chromosomal mutations that cause specific defective phenotypes that can be passed from parent to offspring, but also refer to the susceptibility of people with specific genotypes to specific pathogens in different environments. Taking tumors as an example, their formation is not only related to carcinogens in the environment, but also involves mutations or polymorphisms in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Therefore, establishing animal models of major human diseases (such as tumors and cardiovascular diseases) plays an important role in analyzing the pathogenesis of diseases, answering the susceptibility of specific groups to certain diseases, and developing new drugs.
Over the past century of research, mice have become the best experimental material for establishing animal models of human genetic diseases. The genome modification technology of mice is mature, and the physiological, biochemical and developmental processes are similar to humans. The genome is 90% homologous to humans. Therefore, mouse models of human diseases can basically simulate the pathogenesis of human diseases and the response to drugs; small Another advantage of the mouse as a material for genetic research is that its genome project has been basically completed. The large amount of information in genome sequences provides the basis and technical means for studying gene function and expression regulation, embryonic development, and the molecular mechanisms of human diseases. Using existing genome sequences and bioinformatics analysis to develop new genome modification methods, and analyzing at the overall animal phenotype level based on random or directed mutations, is currently the most popular and effective functional genomic research method. Comparative genomics, developmental biology, medical genetics and other related fields are also constantly integrating to create new growth points.
Disease models established using model animals such as mice have great theoretical and practical value. On the one hand, the analysis of gene functions and inheritance patterns through animal model research has become the main driving force for major theoretical achievements in life sciences. For example, phenotypic analysis of mutations in Drosophila and functional studies of related genes in mice directly led to the establishment of the basic framework of the theory of multicellular organism development. On the other hand, in-depth research on animal models, especially mouse disease models, will bring huge business opportunities to the biomedical technology industry. Almost all newly generated mouse models, especially animal models of cardiovascular, metabolic diseases, geriatric diseases and other major diseases that seriously endanger human health, have been patented. Taking the latest research results of the mouse resource library as an example, researchers have used the ENU mutagenesis method to obtain more than 30 mouse mutant strains, including cataracts, deafness, abnormal bone density, limb defects and hair abnormalities, etc. Some of them have been cloned Related mutated genes, these mutated genes will find new drug targets for the treatment of these diseases, and these models may be used for the screening and development of new drugs. Using gene deletion technology, researchers have also established a series of mutant mouse models such as abnormal bone development, defects in embryonic development, abnormal blood sugar regulation, and defects in immune cell differentiation. These models include developmental defects, genetic diseases, diabetes, lymphoma, etc. It provides the basis for research on the pathogenesis of diseases and drug development.
The completion of the Human Genome Project and the continuous establishment of disease models once again emphasize the importance of independent intellectual property rights. Currently, simply cloning a new gene is no longer enough to apply for a patent. Understanding gene functions has become the main content of the new round of biomedical intellectual property market. Although many units in my country have cloned a large number of genes through gene chip means, they are unable to seize the patent market because they do not have the support of functional research, especially the most powerful functional research results such as mouse models.