Humanized mice are mice that have been engrafted with something from a human, such as human genes, cells, tissues, or organs. They are commonly used as small animal models in biological and medical research for human therapeutics. Humanized mice can be created in a variety of ways, such as by intravenous injections of human cells and tissue into the mouse, or by genetically modifying the mouse from human genes.
Humanized mice are powerful tools for studying human-specific physiology and pathologies, and they enable scientists to gain insights into human-specific biology and diseases. They are used to investigate the development and function of human cells or tissues in the in vivo context of a small animal, and have played important roles in various areas of biomedical research, including immunology, infectious diseases, drug metabolism, and neuroscience.
Some of the key applications of humanized mice include:
- Cancer research: Humanized mice can be used to study tumor therapies and test how well pharmaceuticals can treat different types of cancer.
- Immunology research: Humanized mice can be used to study the function of human genes in health and disease, and to test therapies for immune system irregularities like diabetes and lupus.
- Infectious disease research: Humanized mice can be used to test how well pharmaceuticals can treat infectious diseases.
- Regenerative medicine research: Humanized mice can be used to study regenerative medicine and the development of a functional human immune system in mice.
Overall, humanized mice are a valuable tool for biomedical research, allowing scientists to study human-specific biology and diseases in a small animal model.
