| Ragnar Mattsson, Professor, PhD Phone: +4646-2228567 E-mail: Ragnar.Mattsson@med.lu.se |
Mice are the most used model animals for studying mechanisms underlying complex human diseases, and an efficient breeding of these animals drives the progress in medical science. The knowledge of which genes that are particularly important for reproductive success and regulation of arthritis in mice is not only of importance for the fields of reproductive biology, transplantation immunology and rheumatology, but is also of great importance for the entire field of experimental medicine.
We have recently identified 9 new loci of importance for reproductive performance and autoimmunity in female mice. The loci are: Fecq3?4 which affect fecundity (litter size), Pregq1?4, which affect pregnancy frequency (pregnancy success) in syngeneic and allogeneic matings. A maternal locus affecting early neonatal growth ( Neogq1 ), and a locus controlling maternal body weight ( Bwq7 ).
Finally we have identified a new collagen?induced arthritis locus ( Cia40 ) affecting the incidence of arthritis in old multiparous female mice. We pay special attention on Fecq4 on chr 9 and Pregq2/ Cia40 which are localized in the same region of chr 11. The significant effects obtained in congenic Fecq4 and Cia40/Pregq2 congenic mice have recently been shown in the Ph.D thesis of Maria Liljander entitled: The Complex Genetics of Mouse Reproduction and Arthritis (December 2007).
My current project is focusing on the characterization of the recently identified loci mentioned above. The procedure of characterization involves production of congenic mice with small polymorfic chromosomal fragments and a detailed phenotype analyse. This should eventually lead to the identification of single critical genes. In the context of genetic control of autoimmunity, some known genes of suspected interest (such as COMP) will be studied as well.
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Last modified: 2012-02-08
