An Introduction to Humanized Immune System Mouse Models

About the White Paper:

Animal models have long been used to study the complex biological processes that underlie normal human physiology and disease. In particular, the mouse has become one of the most commonly used model organisms for biomedical research, discovery, and validation. However, the biological differences between mice and humans are limiting factors in translating many discoveries to the clinical setting. There is thus a growing need for animal models that more faithfully recapitulate essential features of human biology.

Humanization

Various methods have been developed to "humanize" mice, and these models are quickly becoming an essential tool for basic and applied research. This white paper will introduce one humanization method: engrafting human cells to recapitulate aspects of the human immune system.

Read this white paper to learn:

• A brief history of immunodeficient mice
• An overview of humanized immune system mouse models, including HSC and PBMC-engrafted mice
• Practical details relevant for humanization experiments, including when to use irradiation and selection of the most appropriate mouse strain