Research Models

Commonly Used Mouse Models

Name Genes Mutations Modification Disease Neuropathology Behavior/Cognition Visualization Promoter/Regulatory Elements Genetic Background Strain Name Other Phenotypes Availability Primary Paper
Psen1, APP, MAPT APP K670_M671delinsNL (Swedish), MAPT P301L, PSEN1 M146V Psen1: Knock-In; APP: Transgenic; MAPT: Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease Age-related, progressive neuropathology including plaques and tangles. Extracellular Aβ deposits by 6 months in frontal cortex, more extensive by 12 months. No tau pathology at 6 months, but evident at 12 months. Synaptic dysfunction, including LTP deficits, prior to plaques and tangles. Cognitive impairment by 4 months. Impairments first manifest as a retention/retrieval deficit and not as a learning deficit, and occur prior to plaques and tangles. Deficits in both spatial and contextual based paradigms. Clearance of intraneuronal Aβ by immunotherapy rescues the early cognitive deficits in a hippocampal-dependent task. Yes C7BL/6;129X1/SvJ;129S1/Sv B6;129-Psen1tm1Mpm Tg(APPSwe,tauP301L)1Lfa/Mmjax The Jackson Lab; available through the JAX MMRRC Stock# 034830; Live Oddo et al., 2003
APP APP K670_M671delinsNL (Swedish) APP: Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease By 14-16 months, homozygotes have diffuse and compact Aβ deposits in the frontal cortex, by 18-20 months plaques throughout the cortex and olfactory bulb with occasional deposits in the corpus callosum and hippocampus. No tangles, but some changes in phosphorylated tau. Reactive astrocytes and microglia by 14-16 months. Unknown. Yes (129X1/SvJ x 129S1/Sv)F1-Kitl<+> B6.129-Tg(APPSw)40Btla/Mmjax Increased mortality in young homozygous animals, especially females. At 3-4 months mice maintained on the C57BL/6J background exhibit spontaneous seizure-like activity as measured by EEG and are more susceptible to kainic acid-induced seizures. The Jackson Lab; available through the JAX MMRRC Stock# 034831; Cryopreserved Lamb et al., 1997
MAPT MAPT P301L MAPT: Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease, Frontotemporal Dementia Pathologic hyperphosphorylation and conformational change of parenchymal tau in brain tissues starting at 7 months. Tangle-like pathology is mainly observed in the brain stem and spinal cord, and to a lesser extent in the midbrain and cerebral cortex. Age-dependent increase in total tau in CSF. Age-associated deficits in a passive avoidance task (starting at 5 months) and a novel object recognition task (starting at 9 months). At a young age (~2 months) outperforms wild-type littermates in object recognition memory. Progressive motor impairment and reduced activity, accompanied by increased clasping of hind and then forelimbs around seven months. Yes FVB/N Thy1-hTau.P301L Premature death around 8-12 months, preceded by weight loss, hyperkyphosis, reduced activity, and upper airway dysfunction. The CRO reMYND offers research services with this line.  Terwel et al., 2005