Animal cloning by nuclear transfer: state-of-the-art and future perspectives

Model organisms are essential to study the genetic basis of human diseases. Transgenic mammalian models, especially genetic knock-out mice have catalysed the progress in this area. To continue the advancement, further sophisticated and refined models are crucially needed to study the genetic basis and manifestations of numerous human diseases. Coinciding with the start of the new era of post-genomic research, new tools for establishment of transgenesis, such as nuclear transfer and gene targeting in somatic cells, have become available, offering a unique opportunity for the generation of transgenic animal models. The new technology provides important tools for comparative functional genomics to promote the interpretation and increase the practical value of the data generated in numerous mouse models. This paper discusses the state-of-the-art of the nuclear replacement technology and presents future perspectives.