DEVELOPMENT OF THE COTTON RAT AS AN ANIMAL MODEL

棉鼠自1937年以来一直用于生物医学研究，当时它 成为第一个地方性斑疹伤寒的小动物模型。 从那时起它 已经被证明是易受感染的一个非常广泛的 人类和啮齿类动物病原体谱。 目前最感兴趣的是 其作为人呼吸道合胞病毒副流感病毒模型的用途 病毒3型和腺病毒;囊性纤维化的基因治疗， α-1-抗胰蛋白酶缺乏症;丝虫病;松果体研究; 和环境毒性。 然而，棉花鼠的使用一直是 由于缺乏商业动物来源， 近交系棉鼠和免疫试剂。 Virion Systems，Inc. 现在 商业上提供近交系棉鼠。 的发展 本申请中提出的试剂将大大增加 利用棉鼠作为广泛的人类疾病模型 疾病

The cotton rat has been used in biomedical research since 1937, when it became the first small animal model of endemic typhus. Since then, it has been shown to be susceptible to infection by a remarkably wide spectrum of human and rodent pathogens. Of greatest current interest is its use as a model of human respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus type 3 and adenoviruses; of gene therapy of cystic fibrosis and alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency; of filariasis; of pineal gland research; and of environmental toxicity. Use of the cotton rat, however, has been severely restricted due to lack of a commercial source of animals, an inbred cotton rat and immunologic reagents. Virion Systems, Inc. now provides inbred cotton rats commercially. The development of the reagents proposed in this grant application will greatly increase the utilization of the cotton rat as a model for a wide spectrum of human diseases.