Transgenic Non-Human Mammal

Patent Number: 4,736,866 Date of Patent: April 12, 1988 Inventors: Philip Leder, Chestnut Hill, Mass.; Timothy A. Stewart, San Francisco, Calif. Asignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass.

Summary of the Invention:
In general, the invention features a transgenic non-human eukaryotic animal (preferably a rodent such as a mouse) whose germ cells and somatic cells contain an activated oncogene sequence introduced into the animal, or an ancestor of the animal, at an embryonic stage.

The animals of the invention can be used to test a material suspected of being carcinogen, by exposing the animal to the material and determining neoplastic growth as an indicator of carcinogenicity.

The animals of the invention can also be used as tester animals for materials, e.g. antioxidants such as betacarotine or vitamin E, thought to confer protection against the development of neoplasms.

The aninials of the invention can also be used as a source of cells for cell culture.

WE CLAIM:
1. A transgenic non-human mammal, all of whose germ cells and somatic cells contain a recombinant activated oncogene sequence introduced into said mammal, or an ancestor of said mammal, at an embryonic stage...
11. The mammal of claim 1, said mammal being a rodent.
12. The mammal of claim 11, said rodent being a mouse.