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An Integrative Neuroscience Program Linking Mouse Genes to Cognition and Disease

Figure5.   Using mutant mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells to generate both mice and neurons in vitro.

Mutations or chromosomal alterations are engineered into mouse ES cells. These cells can be used to create mutant mice via blastocyst injection or differentiated in vitro to produce neurons (ES neurons). The mutant mice can be the source of a variety of neural tissue preparations including brain slice and primary neuronal cultures. Thus neurons carrying mutations can be derived from a variety of methods and used in many types of assays, ranging from behaviour of the intact animal to electrophysiology and biochemistry.