Genetic variants associated with neurodegenerative Alzheimer disease in natural models

Biol Res. 2016 Feb 26:49:14. doi: 10.1186/s40659-016-0072-9.

Abstract

The use of transgenic models for the study of neurodegenerative diseases has made valuable contributions to the field. However, some important limitations, including protein overexpression and general systemic compensation for the missing genes, has caused researchers to seek natural models that show the main biomarkers of neurodegenerative diseases during aging. Here we review some of these models-most of them rodents, focusing especially on the genetic variations in biomarkers for Alzheimer diseases, in order to explain their relationships with variants associated with the occurrence of the disease in humans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aging / genetics
  • Alzheimer Disease / genetics*
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Guinea Pigs
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Rats
  • Sequence Analysis, Protein