Hello all,
I'd like to get further insights on the disadvantages of using knockout mice/global knockout. Also, how can the one further study the effect of this gene/s' knockout.
Thanks in advance!
Best, Alaa
Global knockout may represent, in many cases, human disease. If same gene is missing in human, it may show similar phenotypes as in mouse (of course, backgrounds variation is there).
Disadvantage: if your knockout gene affects pituitary gland adversely, many hormones are secreted from pituitary, and effect of hormones on gonadal function will be automatically adversely affected even the gene directly does not affect gonadal function,
Best approach is induced-conditional knockout, like tamoixin-inducred Cre-ERT2 crossed with flox-flox mice. In that way, you can understand the function of gene in specific organ and at specific age.
Hi Alaa,
Also, another disadvatntage of knockout mouse is that if you knockout a gene from the begining of the development, sometimes another gene can compensate for its functions. Sometimes, downregulating the gene can help you to find out the function of the gene.
Best,
Anita.
Many thanks to you all!! Your answers are highly appreciated.
All the best, Alaa.
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