Hiiriuutisia

Cell change 'keeps organs young' - Vanhan hiiren maksa on saatu geenimuuntelun avulla toimimaan kuin nuoren hiiren maksa. Muunnellun geenin voi kääntää päälle hiiren ruokavaliota muuttamalla.

Dr Ana Maria Cuervo, from Yeshiva, created a mouse with two genetic alterations. The first, when activated, boosted the number of specific cell receptors linked to this protein recycling function, while the second allowed the first to be turned on whenever Dr Cuervo wished simply by modifying the animal's diet. She waited until the mice were six months old - the point at which age-related decline in the protein-recycling system begins - then turned on the receptor gene. When examined at two years old, the liver cells of these mice were far more effective at recycling protein compared with normal mice. When the overall liver function of the very old genetically-modified mice was tested, they performed at a comparable level to much younger mice.

Scientists Create Mice Resistant to Obesity - Muuntogeeniset hiiret eivät liho edes ruokahalua lisäävällä hormonilla.

On a normal diet, the normal and mutant mice weighed roughly the same, with mutant mice weighing slightly less. On a high fat diet, however, the mutant mice gained far less weight than the normal mice, even though the two groups ate approximately the same amount of food. The reason: The mutant mice were burning energy at a faster rate, the researchers said. -- These transgenic mice were also resistant to the effects of the hormone ghrelin, which governs hunger. When normal mice were given ghrelin, their food intake increased. In the mutant mice, however, that effect was dampened, Tong said.

Invisibility cloak now within sight - Ehkä hiiret saavat myös ensimmäisinä näkymättömyysviitat koekäyttöön?