Mouse astrocytoma models: embryonic stem cell mediated transgenesis.

The development of rational and targeted therapies for human astrocytomas is heavily dependent on our knowledge of its molecular pathogenesis, combined with the generation of appropriate pre-clinical mouse models. The ability to manipulate the mouse genome. which is nearing completion and is highly homologous to its human counterpart, has significantly accelerated our ability to create transgenic mouse models that replicate the pathological and molecular characteristics found in human astrocytomas. These models should serve to further our knowledge of the molecular pathogenesis of human astrocytomas, and serve as useful reagents to test conventional and novel therapeutics.