The great majority of how we understand human disease, and attempt to cure it, derives from mice genetically fashioned to be prolific breeders, docile and easy to handle—all qualities that have made it the favorite tool of large-scale biomedical research. However, this human-imposed selection of these behavioral and reproductive traits has come at a hefty cost. By weeding out undesirable traits in the highly standardized laboratory mouse, researchers have also placed unseen constraints on what is possible to know and learn from them.
Medical Xpress – latest medical and health news stories