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Posted by heathere on 24 Sep 2010 at 18:46 GMT
High expression of connective tissue growth factor (Ctgf) is associated with abnormal
wound healing and tissue scarring (a.k.a. fibrosis). Many age-related human conditions,
including heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension lead to fibrotic tissue damage, but little is
known about how to prevent or reverse tissue fibrosis. One way to study human maladies, like
fibrosis, is to generate mouse models of human disease. Studying how Ctgf might affect adult
health concerns like heart disease is, however, difficult because mice lacking Ctgf and mice with
high expression of Ctgf both die before birth. In order to produce an adult mouse model with
changes in Ctgf expression, we have devised a new approach and engineered a single mutant
mouse strain where Ctgf expression can be reduced or increased. From this new mutant we can
generate a series of Ctgf expression levels from three-fold decreased to four-fold increased, a
range likely to mimic human populations. By mirroring the genetic variation in humans, these
mice will be helpful in understanding the function of CTGF in fibrotic disease and in developing
new anti-fibrotic therapies. In addition, the method we have devised will be widely applicable in
generating other mutant mice that model human disease.