The GMC History

With the completion of the human genome sequence ( Nature 409, 860-921 (2001), Science 291, 1304-1351 (2001) ) and the prospect of a complete mouse sequence within the near future (Nature 418, 743-50 (2002)), a major challenge is the systematic determination of gene function in mammals. The understanding of the role of a gene or gene product in the context of the whole organism is a prerequiste for the directed use of a gene or gene product in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

In the international research project ENU mouse mutagenesis screen at the Helmholtz Zentrum München- the German Research Center for Enviroment and Health - in Munich/Neuherberg mutations in singular genes and their effects on the animal organism are investigated (supported by the German National Genome Research Network (NGFN) and formerly also by the German Human Genome Project (DHGP)).

Mutant mouse lines are screened for dysmorphological and blood based parameters and mouse mutant lines of clinical relevance for inherited human disease are further analysed ( Nat. Genetics 25, 444-447 (2000)).

Although the efficiency of such systematic, non invasive, phenotypic screens have been proven, more refined screening protocols have to be implemented in order to characterise mutant phenotypes - also from other resources like knock-outs or genetrap mice - more precisely. For this purpose, a centre of standardised, phenotypic procedures, "The German Mouse Clinic" was founded January 2002 at the Helmholtz Zentrum München in Munich/Neuherberg (supported by the NGFN).

We have brought together specialists from various fields of mouse phenotyping and from different institutions in Germany to work side by side at one place. The German Mouse Clinic is a large, SPF area with a modular structure of eleven units and rooms for shared infrastructure. Each unit consists of a laboratory and an adjacent mouse room equipped with IVC (isolated ventilated cage) racks. These units are dedicated to the areas of allergy, behaviour, bone and cartilage development, clinical chemistry, eye development and vision, energy metabolism, immunology, lung function, neurology, nociception, molecular phenotyping, steroid metabolism, and pathology. Three units are designated to accommodate guest scientists of the NGFN, which can analyse their own mouse mutants with the support of the centre. Additional screens for host-pathogen interaction, cardiovascular diseases and somatosensoric phenotyping are performed at the Helmholtz Zentrum für Infektionsforschung and the Max-Delbrück Zentrum (MDC), respectively.