Crossbreeding analysis of the mouse epilepsy.

Genetic control of the mouse epilepsy of E1 mouse isolated from ddY strain was investigated by crossbreeding with C57BL/6 mouse. A concept of the dominance deviation was applied for the explanation of the epileptic seizure inheritance in the generations of P1, F1, F2, B1 (F1 X E1 mouse) and B2 (F1 X C57BL/6 mouse), in which initial rate increase of the seizure frequency, seizure-inducing rotation numbers and seizure formative period as a function of the population growth were undertaken to be phenotypic measures. It was conclusive that the mouse epilepsy is apparently under genetic control by at least single gene with the seizure activity influencing factor(s) or by plural genes. Those are partially recessive for the allele assumed in cross-hybridized C57BL/6 mouse. No relevance of the coat color genotype and sex determination to the seizure segregation was observed obviously. Possible existence of epileptic substance(s) responsible for the enhancement of the seizure activity is also discussed.