Genetic monitoring of inbred strains

Abstract

With the advent of molecular genetics, inbred strains became one of the most powerful tools in biomedical research. Their applications are numerous and range from investigating basic mechanisms of genes and gene regulation to the generation of models of human diseases, which can be used for pathophysiological, biochemical, molecular and therapeutic studies. Therefore, the need for uniform and authentic animals within the genetically standardized strains is understandable and from the perspective of validity of results also necessary. The purpose of this article is to outline the potential sources of genetic variation of rodent (mainly mouse and rat) colonies and to describe the methods used to monitor or control this variation. These methodologies may be applied in both breeding centres and individual research laboratories.