Animal and Mouse Models for Cystic Fibrosis

Abstract

Cystic fibrosis mouse models are tools that enable us to study and understand the mechanisms and complexities of cystic fibrosis. Mouse models are better, and usually preferred when compared to other animal models, because of their high reproduction rate, low cost, and easy maintenance. A Mouse can be easily genetically manipulated by making it a transgenic or knockout mouse. However, as there are anatomic and immunological differences between mice and humans, these models have inherent limitations which need to be accounted for when analyzing the results obtained from experiments. This review focuses on the different CF mouse models which represent diverse phenotypes observed in humans with cystic fibrosis. This can potentially help researchers interpret the diverse functions of the CFTR protein.