Researchers use novel sperm stem-cell technique to produce genetically modified rats

For two decades, the laboratory mouse has been the workhorse of biomedical studies and the only mammal whose genes scientists could effectively and reliably manipulate to study human diseases and conditions.

In a new study appearing in the June issue of Nature Methods, UT Southwestern researchers detail how they created 35 new rat “lines,” with each type of animal harboring mutations in specific genes. More than half of these mutated genes are associated with biological processes linked to human diseases, including cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, aberrant circadian rhythms and mental illness.

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