Bacterial and protozoal infections in genetically disrupted mice.

Immune gene knock-out mice have provided challenging new opportunities for scientists interested in infection and immunity. This novel experimental approach has made it possible to gain deeper insights into the mechanisms that are operative in defence against, and the pathology of, infectious disease. It has allowed the identification not only of vital immune elements, but also of compensatory mechanisms and of novel cells that are still uncharacterized or of uncertain function.