DEVELOPMENT OF THE COTTON RAT AS AN ANIMAL MODEL

自 1937 年以来，棉鼠一直被用于生物医学研究，当时 成为第一个地方性斑疹伤寒小动物模型。 从那时起，它 已被证明易受广泛范围的感染 人类和啮齿动物病原体谱。 目前最感兴趣的是 其用作人类呼吸道合胞病毒、副流感病毒的模型 3型病毒和腺病毒；囊性纤维化的基因治疗和 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，棉鼠的使用已 由于缺乏商业动物来源而受到严格限制 近交棉鼠及免疫试剂。 现为 Virion Systems, Inc. 商业化提供近交棉鼠。 的发展 本拨款申请中提出的试剂将大大增加 利用棉鼠作为广泛人类的模型 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.