Biomedical research
The laboratory mouse is a powerful system for basic research and plays a key role in mammalian genetic and biomedical research. Inbred and mutant mice are universally accepted as the primary model for analyzing and understanding inherited human disorders.
There are many advantages to using the mouse as a model organism, the most important of which is their striking similarity to humans in anatomy, physiology and genetics. Indeed, over 95% of the mouse genome is similar to our own, making mouse genetic research particularly applicable to human disease. Many diseases can be modeled through the alteration of a specific gene central to a normal biological process. A large number of disease models have arisen spontaneously in The Jackson Laboratory production colony and are maintained in the Mouse Mutant Resource.
Practically, mice are small, have a short generation time and an accelerated lifespan (one mouse year equals about 30 human years), keeping the costs, space and time required to perform research manageable. Despite these clear benefits, the greatest tools associated with using the mouse are the availability of pure, inbred lines and the ability to genetically engineer new strains. This combination of features provides researchers with a uniquely powerful tool for understanding the mechanisms of human disease.
