Transgenic mice in immunological research.

Various strategies exist for transferring cloned DNA sequences to animals. Transferred genes will be expressed often in a tissue-specific and developmentally-regulated manner. A number of genes related to immune function have been transferred to mice. Both histocompatibility (Class I and II) and immunoglobulin (mu, gamma and kappa) genes have been expressed in appropriate cell types in transgenic mice. These mice have been useful in studies of B cell differentiation. Transgenes have been shown to affect the rearrangement and idiotypic expression of endogenous immunoglobulin genes. It can be expected that transgenic animals will contribute greatly to further studies of the immune system.