http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/mice/ The mouse. What have researchers learned from obese mice, anxious mice and cancer-resistant mice? Read research using mouse models of disease. en-us Tue, 13 May 2008 06:05:01 EDT Tue, 13 May 2008 06:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/mice/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512113511.htm T cells, the body's master immune regulators, do not use simple on/off switches to govern the cellular machinery that regulates their development and function. Immune cells adjust their function like a radio dial; a discovery that hints at how autoimmune disease may develop late in life. Mon, 12 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512113511.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105649.htm Prions, the infamous agents behind mad cow disease and its human variation, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, also have a helpful side. New research shows that normally functioning prions prevent neurons from working themselves to death. The findings appear in the May 5 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology. Fri, 09 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105649.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506120946.htm Humans and fruitflies -- those pesky little insects that are irresistibly attracted to overripe fruit -- share more than a sweet tooth. Both rely on the same insulin-regulated molecular pathway to maintain their energy balance when starved for food, reports a team of researchers. Thu, 08 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506120946.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507084005.htm Some Malagasy mouse lemurs are so similar that picking a mate of the right species, especially at night time in a tropical forest, might seem like a matter of pot luck. However, new research has shown that our desperately cute distant cousins use vocalizations to pick up a partner of the right species. Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507084005.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429204236.htm A new holistic approach to assess model behavior has been proposed and evaluated by researchers at the University of Tokyo and Osaka Bioscience Institute. The lifestyle of the mouse has been monitored in a way comparable with that of monitoring humans. The animal's every move is recorded by pressure sensors under the cage, and this information is collected for more than 24 hours. Thu, 01 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429204236.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080424140403.htm The results of large-scale imaging experiments examining how social signals are represented in the sensory system have just been published. Working with a newly-developed line of transgenic mice that expresses the genetic calcium indicator G-CaMP2, the team monitored neural activity in the vomeronasal organ, a sensory organ found in many vertebrate animals that detects pheromones. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080424140403.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080424152249.htm Regulatory T cells are thought to call a halt to immune responses as the fight against infection draws to a close. Researchers have evidence that these cells also help coordinate the early stages of the fight against viral infections. Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080424152249.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417130545.htm Biologists have discovered that the skin of mice can sense low levels of oxygen and regulate the production of erythropoietin, or EPO, the hormone that stimulates our bodies to produce red blood cells and allows us to adapt to high-altitude, low-oxygen environments. Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417130545.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417130552.htm Fully differentiated mouse cells, such as mature B cells, can be reprogrammed to embryonic-stem-cell-like induced pluripotent stem cells, without the use of an egg. Using reprogrammed mature B cells, researchers may be able to create mouse models that will aid in understanding autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes. Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417130552.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417130603.htm Female mice can steer clear of inbred males on the basis of their scent alone. Biologists found that female mice chose to associate with males producing a greater diversity of major urinary proteins. Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417130603.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417130555.htm While males and females might sometimes act as though they come from different planets, a new study in flies suggests they are both equipped with a largely unisex brain. By artificially triggering the neurons responsible for singing -- normally a male only activity -- the researchers made female flies play their first tune. Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417130555.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417130539.htm Multiple lethal pathogens such as H5N1 avian flu trigger acute lung injury with a high death rate. Scares of an epidemic have led to an increasing interest in understanding the molecular mechanisms that lead to this condition. Scientists have now identified oxidative stress and innate immunity as a common pathway that controls the severity of ARDS. Mon, 21 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417130539.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417152027.htm A new vaccine under development may provide protection against highly pathogenic bird flu and its evolving forms, according to researchers who discovered the new preventative drug and have tested it in mice. Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417152027.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416140945.htm Salmonella are wily and obnoxious bacterial invaders -- escape artists capable of evading multiple immune responses and causing a harsh and debilitating intestinal infection. Researchers have come closer to understanding how these bacteria manage to thwart two major categories of immune defenses at once and set up shop in a host organism. Fri, 18 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416140945.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080414145645.htm Researchers have uncovered the first clues about the ancient origins of a mother's intricate lifeline to her unborn baby, the placenta, which delivers oxygen and nutrients critical to the baby's health. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080414145645.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080414102414.htm Tumors use the body's blood system for their own purposes: They stimulate the growth of blood vessels that supply the tumor. Medical treatment blocks this process in order to restrain tumors. Scientists have now developed a method for producing a complex human vascular system in mice. Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080414102414.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408175308.htm Reishi mushroom and green tea scientific studies have found that combining the active ingredients in the mushroom and the tea creates synergetic effects that inhibited the growth of tumors and delayed the time of death in mice with sarcomas. Mon, 14 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408175308.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409153318.htm Metastasis, the spread of cancer from a primary site to other tissues and organs in the body, is the leading cause of death among cancer patients. Without an animal model that consistently reproduces human-like metastasis, researchers have relied on individual cancer patients to assess new therapies. Researchers now have a new mouse model they used it to make a new finding about the role of macrophage cells in the spread of cancer. Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409153318.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408202033.htm In mice, child neglect is a product of both nature and nurture, according to a new study. Negligent parenting seems to have both genetic and non-genetic influences, and may be linked to dysregulation of the brain signaling chemical dopamine. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408202033.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401091210.htm Researchers studying deer mice have discovered evidence to support what mothers everywhere have long suspected: the immune system needs food to function properly. Why immune activity is variable in many wild animals is a question that has long puzzled researchers. Fri, 04 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401091210.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080402071547.htm Scientists have long known that emotions and other personality traits and disorders run together in families. But finding which genes are most important in controlling emotions has proven difficult. Researchers have noted that male mice make high-frequency vocalizations during sexual interactions with female mice. These high-frequency calls are associated with approach behaviors, and with genes that control positive emotions. In the courtship phase, before mounting, males usually made simple whistles or modulated calls. After mounting the females, however, the males shifted to more complex "chirp-like" vocalizations. The male vocalizations increased in number and complexity as intensity increased. Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080402071547.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401095233.htm The bacteria that cause Lyme disease can linger in mouse tissues long after a full round of antibiotic treatment is completed. The scientists caution that the discovery does not suggest the presence of chronic disease, nor does it support extended use of antibiotics to treat Lyme disease in humans. Thu, 03 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401095233.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401165014.htm Obesity is more than a cosmetic concern because it increases a person's risk for developing high blood pressure, diabetes and many other serious health problems. It's well understood that consuming more calories than you expend through exercise and daily activities causes weight gain. But with about one in every three American adults now considered obese, researchers are attempting to identify additional factors that affect a person's tendency to gain and retain excess weight. Several animal studies suggest that gut microbiota are involved in regulating weight, and that modifying these bacteria could one day be a treatment option for obesity. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401165014.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080229171124.htm Salmonella bacteria can be turned into tiny terminator robots that venture deep into cancerous tumors where conventional chemotherapy can't reach. Once in place, the bacteria manufacture drugs that destroy cancer cells. This could translate chemotherapy that is more specific, more effective and easier on patients. Mon, 31 Mar 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080229171124.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080327172205.htm Researchers have discovered a new type of retinal cell that plays an exclusive and unusual role in mice: detecting upward motion. The cells reflect their function in the physical arrangement of their dendrites, branch-like structures on neuronal cells that form a communicative network with other dendrites and neurons in the brain. Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080327172205.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326181733.htm Manipulating a previously identified protein may be the key to developing an effective H5N1 influenza A virus vaccine. Since its emergence in 1997, the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) has affected wild birds and poultry in more than 10 Asian countries as well as Europe and Africa. A total of 321 confirmed human cases have occurred since late 2003 resulting in 194 deaths and a fatality rate of approximately 60%. Fri, 28 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326181733.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326181848.htm A new study suggests salmonella strains collected from human salamonellosis patients to be distinct from those of animal origin, a finding that could significantly impact the development of treatment methods for foodborne illnesses. Salmonella enterica, one of the most infectious foodborne pathogens inflicting humans today, is commonly transmitted through consumption of meat and food products that have been contaminated with animal waste. Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326181848.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080325171745.htm International investigations of an organism that has been referred to in the past as "silly little green scum" have led to key insights into the basic mechanisms of reproduction. The findings may help explain why species can almost never interbreed, and also point to a possible way to thwart the spread of malaria, a disease that kills about 1 million people each year, primarily children in sub-Saharan Africa. Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080325171745.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318213921.htm When an individual is challenged by a virus, a bacterium or any other infectious agent, several classes of white blood cells are being activated in order to fight the invasion. One particular important class of white blood cells are the so-called T lymphocytes. These cells originate in the bone marrow and mature in the thymus, hence called 'T' cells. Once matured, these cells circulate as naïve T cells throughout the body in an inactive form. Sat, 22 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318213921.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318182813.htm Salmonella enteritidis is one of the main causes of food-borne illness worldwide. In severe cases, it can reach the circulatory system. Knowledge about the distribution in the internal organs may lead to new insights into prevention and therapy. New research has provided significant data for understanding the life cycle of Salmonella. Fri, 21 Mar 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318182813.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080319193029.htm Lyme disease is the blight of countryside users but it may be prevented with a single injection, according to research in the Journal of Medical Microbiology. Researchers found that a new formulation that is programmed to release the anti-Lyme disease drug over a 20 day period was 100% effective. Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080319193029.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080317151933.htm Scientists have developed a new mouse model to help illuminate the vagaries of autism, according to a study from a Stanford University School of Medicine researcher and other colleagues. The study focused on mice missing the gabrb3 gene, which codes for a protein important in brain development and normal adult brain function Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080317151933.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080314164119.htm A team of veterinary researchers have identified a gene on the X chromosome, which when disrupted in mice renders the males sterile and reduces female fecundity. It's the first study of the genetic causes of infertility that links a particular sex chromosome meiosis-specific gene to sterility. Researchers hypothesize that a screening of the TEX11 gene may provide a pre-birth diagnosis for infertility in men. Wed, 19 Mar 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080314164119.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080312143900.htm Researchers have developed a new, lean mouse with characteristics suggesting that someday, using medication to manipulate a specific protein in humans could emerge as a strategy to treat obesity and disorders associated with excess weight, such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome. To create the hybrid, scientists crossed mice deficient in protein kinase C beta with the C57 black mouse, a common animal used in research for studying diabetes and obesity. Mon, 17 Mar 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080312143900.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080314160218.htm Overexpressing a protein involved in the uptake of fat in muscle of mice can improve their tolerance to cold temperatures, reports a new study that showcases the over-looked role muscle may play in the cold response. When temperatures drop, mammals respond by generating heat (thermogenesis), through mechanisms like shivering and breaking down 'brown fat' (high energy fat cells that are especially prominent in newborns and hibernating animals). Sun, 16 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080314160218.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080313125344.htm Scientists have initiated a phase 1 clinical trial to reverse type 1 diabetes. The trial is exploring whether the promising lab results can be applied in human diabetes. Previous studies have shown that mice with a form of diabetes that closely resembles type 1 diabetes in humans can be cured. Fri, 14 Mar 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080313125344.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311120624.htm The protein CD95 is known to act as a molecular switch that triggers the apoptosis death program in cells. Scientists have now shown that activation of this switch in glioblastoma has a totally unexpected effect. Instead of forcing the cancer cells to commit suicide, their spread is even promoted. Activation of CD95 was found to increase the tumor's ability to invade surrounding brain tissue. This finding reveals an unexpected target for new therapies. Fri, 14 Mar 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311120624.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080313103107.htm A new study shows that exposure to a chemical called diacetyl, a component of artificial butter flavoring, can be harmful to the nose and airways of mice. Scientists conducted the study because diacetyl has been implicated in causing obliterative bronchiolitis (OB) in humans. OB is a debilitating but rare lung disease, which has been detected recently in workers who inhale significant concentrations of the flavoring in microwave popcorn packaging plants. Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080313103107.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080307090229.htm Every minute, 30,000 of our outermost skin cells die so that we can live. When they do, new cells migrate from the inner layer of the skin to the surface of it, where they form a tough protective barrier. In a series of elegant experiments in mice, researchers at Rockefeller University have now discovered a tiny RNA molecule that helps create this barrier. The results not only yield new insight into how skin first evolved, but also suggest how healthy cells can turn cancerous. Wed, 12 Mar 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080307090229.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080310131537.htm Scientists have established a mouse model for human malignant mesothelioma that will provide valuable insight into cancer development and progression along with new directions for design of therapeutic strategies. The research may eventually lead to a substantially improved outlook for patients with this devastating disease. Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer originating from the mesothelial lining of the pleural cavity and is associated with asbestos exposure and is characterized by a long latency period between exposure and disease onset. Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080310131537.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306202726.htm The median lifespan for those with cystic fibrosis is 36 years, and lung disease is the major cause of mortality. For years, scientists have studied cystic fibrosis using mice in which the cystic fibrosis gene was altered. However, mice do not develop lung disease like humans with cystic fibrosis. Now, researchers have taken the first step in developing a porcine cystic fibrosis model that may more faithfully mimic the disease in humans. Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306202726.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306153052.htm Animal models have been invaluable in understanding how gene mutations physically affect a complex organism. However, as vividly illustrated in a new research study examining mice with a metabolic disease, the same mutation in the same species can produce wildly variable results. Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306153052.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306133919.htm A chemical in broccoli switches on a set of antioxidant genes and enzymes in specific immune cells, which then combat the injurious effects of molecules known as free radicals that can damage cells and lead to disease. Free radicals are byproducts of normal body processes, such as the metabolic conversion of food into energy, and can also enter the body through small particles present in polluted air. Mon, 10 Mar 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306133919.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306202735.htm One strategy being pursued to develop new vaccines against infectious diseases is DNA vaccination. The idea is that following administration of a DNA vaccine, the body converts the information in the DNA vaccine into a protein that activates an immune response. Current DNA vaccines induce relatively weak immune responses. However, new data, generated in mice, has now identified a way to make DNA vaccines more potent. Mon, 10 Mar 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306202735.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306133939.htm Researchers cleared an important hurdle to clarifying the molecular mechanics behind Severe Congenital Neutropenia, a deadly disease characterized by a deficiency of neutrophils -- mature white blood cells important to fighting infection and disease. A genetic mutation found in humans with SCN blocks neutrophil development in mouse bone marrow cells, providing a way to more effectively study the disease. Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306133939.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306202722.htm Immunization with a stabilized version of a protein found on Streptococcus bacteria can provide protection against Strep infections, which afflict more than 600 million people each year and kill 400,000. Sun, 09 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306202722.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306115346.htm Researchers trying to improve cancer immune therapy have made an unexpected find: They've produced the most accurate mouse model to date of inflammatory bowel disease, a cluster of conditions that afflict approximately 1.4 million Americans with abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea. Sat, 08 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306115346.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080305121006.htm Solving a long-standing biological mystery, stem cell researchers have discovered that blood stem cells, the cells that later differentiate into all the cells in the blood supply, originate and are nurtured in the placenta. Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080305121006.htm