Q: Why are so many experiments done on mice?

A: At the turn of the 20th century, hobbyists routinely bred mice for different coat colors or different behaviors, and neurological deficits, for example, that made them run in circles or “dance.”

By the early 1900s, many different varieties of mice had already been bred by hobbyists for specific traits, many of which were due to underlying genetic differences. These same folks also developed the husbandry techniques required to stock and maintain healthy mouse colonies.

All of this would be a great benefit to biomedical science, as the mouse became one of the most widely used models in research during the 20th century.

Its value resides not only in its genetic and physiological similarities to humans, but also its quick reproductive turnaround time and relatively small size. Many mouse strains used in research today derive from mice developed around the turn of the century to study heredity, explains Eric Sandgren, a cancer researcher at the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine.

Over time, scientists learned more about the mouse and its similarities and differences to humans. That knowledge allows scientists to more accurately interpret mouse studies. In recent years, the mouse genome has been sequenced and much biological instrumentation has been adapted for use with the mouse. That mice can be genetically modified also factors into their widespread use as a model organism, says Sandgren.

— Produced in cooperation with University Communications

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