A SELECTION OF TRANSGENIC ANIMAL MODELS USED IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
The term transgenic animal refers to an animal whose genetic composition has been altered by an addition of foreign DNA. The introduced DNA is called a transgene and the overall process is called transgenic technology. These terms now include the use of living organisms or their parts to make or modify products, to change the characteristics of plants or animals, or to develop micro-organisms for
specific uses that currently include several plants and a number of animal species. During the last two decades, transgenic animal model has been an essential mainstay tool in refining our understanding to gene regulation and function of both biological systems and human diseases. The aims of this review article are 1) to elaborate on how transgenic technology is being used to develop the next genera-
tion of animal models and 2) to provide an update of the recent advances and a possible structure design for future studies. This review covers the most used animal models of some human disease and specifically discusses two studies conducted on a mouse model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) that reproduced specific features of the histopathology and neurobiology of
Multiple Sclerosis (MS). This report is presented with the hope to provide both educational and practical basis for the use of these informative animal models.