The Origins of Oncomice: a History of the First Transgenic Mice Genetically Engineered to Develop Cancer
Downloaded from genesdev.cshlp.org on October 2, 2021 - Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE The origins of oncomice: a history of the first transgenic mice genetically engineered to develop cancer Douglas Hanahan,1,4 Erwin F. Wagner,2 and Richard D. Palmiter3 1Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Diabetes Center, and Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA; 2Research Institute for Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna A-1030, Austria; 3Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA This perspective describes the concurrent development cells within normal tissues of a mammalian organism in the 1980s of the first transgenic mice genetically en- could lead to tumor development. In 1992, gene knock- gineered to express dominant oncogenes, involving inde- out technology converged in a similar fashion with tu- pendent researchers who were largely unaware of each mor suppressor genetics in the generation of mice that other’s strategies and progress. We relate the experimen- developed cancers by virtue of lacking tumor suppressor tal designs, the pitfalls and challenges encountered, and gene function (for review, see Jacks 1996). the eventual success in developing distinctive mouse The significance of these early technological innova- models of cancer, wherein tumors arose heritably in vari- tions, which lead to genetically engineered mice en- ous organs. These early oncomice have produced a dowed to heritably develop particular forms of cancer, wealth of new knowledge, become topics of intellectual can be appreciated by considering the scientific/techni- property, and spawned a vibrant field of cancer research cal landscape then, and now.
[Show full text]