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Please note that we are a research service provider, not a pharmacy or clinic, so we are unable to see patients and do not offer diagnostic and treatment services for individuals.

Genetically Engineered Model Development Services

Developing engineered animal models is a complex and lengthy undertaking in the pharmaceutical sector. At Protheragen, we focus on the creation of ophthalmic disease-specific genetically engineered animal models for disease diagnostics and therapeutics development.

Introduction to Genetically Engineered Models

Genetically altered animals serve as advanced and practical models for biomedicine research, allowing scientists to transform biomedical technology completely. These models entail specific alterations in an animal's genetics so that the impact of certain genetic changes on health and disease can be studied. Animals with genetic modifications are very helpful for studying the processes of various human diseases and possible ways to combat them. These models are particularly important in the study of multi-factorial diseases which involve the action of several genes and environmental factors.

Table 1. Important animal models used in biomedical research. (Singh V. K., et al., 2021)

Animal Models	Disadvantages	Advantages
Rodent-Mice	Sequential blood samples from the same animal are difficult	Small, easy to handle, inexpensive, several genetically well-defined strains, availability of humanized and recombinant technology-modified animals, a wide range of reagent availability
Rodent-Rats	Availability of fewer genetic tools and reagents compared to mice	Similar to mice but comparatively larger in size
Rabbits	Fewer genetic tools, fragile bones, lack of reagents	Easy to handle, nonaggressive, economical compared to other large animals, widely bred, and easy availability
Hamster	Fewer genetic tools and reagent availability	Easy to handle, nonaggressive, economical
Minipig	Expensive to maintain, need for vascular access port due to deep veins, lack of reagents	Inbred, large, similar with humans in several respects, suitable for cutaneous work
Canine-Dogs	Used as a pet, involves ethical and societal issues, expensive	Well-defined in several areas of research, large, outbred
Pig	Similar limitations as minipig	Similar to minipig, larger in size, outbred
Sheep	Expensive, limited reagent availability	Suitable for antibody work
Horse	Expensive to procure and maintain, large size creates limitations for radiological imaging work	Provides the benefits of a large animal model
Goat	Expensive, limited reagent availability	Easy to handle, suitable for antibody work
NHP-Rhesus	Involves ethical issues, expensive, limited supply	Large, similar to humans, significant DNA homology with humans, well-defined model, complex pedigrees
NHP-Baboon	Similar to rhesus, difficult to procure, limited availability	Similar to rhesus, suitable for studies of osteoporosis, alcohol metabolism, and lipoproteins
NHP-Cynomolgus	Similar limitations as rhesus	Similar to rhesus
Zebrafish	Remote from humans compared to other animal models, physiology not identical to humans	High degree of homology with the human genome, a large number of experiments can be performed in a short time period

Application of Genetically Engineered Models in Ophthalmic Diseases

As most ocular diseases are hereditary, using animal models in ophthalmology has facilitated genetic research for a wide array of identified eye diseases which include cataracts, glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, and Leber's congenital amaurosis. In particular, having animal models who have human genetic mutations allows scientists to observe and test disease development along with therapy interventions and replacement ideas. For example, Pde6b gene mutation models for retinitis pigmentosa and Rpe65 knockout models for Leber congenital amaurosis provide insight into the complex disease processes. Understanding such ophthalmic diseases will help further improve therapeutic approaches.

Relative comparison of eyeball size and morphology between different species used in eye research.

Fig.1 Relative comparison of eyeball size and morphology among different species in eye studies. (Loiseau A., et al., 2023)

Our Services

Our comprehensive services encompass the design, creation, and validation of models that accurately mimic human eye diseases. We leverage cutting-edge technologies, including CRISPR-Cas9, to introduce precise genetic modifications, ensuring that our models provide reliable and relevant data for your research needs.

Mouse Models

Muc1/Muc16 knockouts to study mucin-related DED.
TCF4 knockouts for FECD.
ApoE4 knockouts to investigate HSV-1 latency.

Rabbit Models

HLA-A*0201 transgenic rabbits for HSV-1 vaccine testing.
Concanavalin A-induced DED models.

Zebrafish Models

LOXHD1 mutants for hearing and vision impairment studies.

Feline Models

Cats with COL8A2 mutations for FECD-like phenotypes.

Porcine Models

α-1,3-galactosyltransferase knockout pigs to reduce graft rejection.

Customized Models

Developing custom animal models based on your specific needs.

Protheragen's team of experts works closely with clients to understand their specific requirements and deliver customized solutions that accelerate the discovery and development of new therapies for ophthalmic diseases. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.

References

Singh, Vijay K., and Thomas M. Seed. "How necessary are animal models for modern drug discovery?." Expert opinion on drug discovery 16.12 (2021): 1391-1397.
Loiseau, Alexis, et al. "Animal models in eye research: focus on corneal pathologies." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24.23 (2023): 16661.