A new tool is now available for scientist who are studying Down’s syndrome according to this story in Wired News.
Scientists have transplanted a nearly entire human chromosome in mice in a medical and technical breakthrough that could reveal new insights into Down’s syndrome and other disorders.
The genetically engineered mice carry a copy of the human chromosome 21. It is the smallest of the 23 pairs of human chromosomes with about 225 genes.
Children suffering from Down’s syndrome, which is one of the most common genetic disorders, inherit three copies of the chromosome instead of two.
The achievement caps 13 years of research by scientists at the National Institute for Medical Health in London and the Institute of Neurology.
“We are very optimistic that we will be able to get insights into what goes wrong with people with Down’s,” said Dr Victor Tybulewicz, who headed the research team.
