Disclosed is a null mutant (or knockout) rodent comprising in its germ
cells an artificially induced PTTG null mutation. In some embodiments, the null
mutant rodent can be generated by way of homologous recombination in an embryonic
stem cell or germ cell. The inventive null mutant rodent can be used to study mammalian
physiology at the cellular, tissue, and/or organismal level with respect to various
phenotypes, including hyperglycemia, hypoinsulinaemia, hypoleptinemia, diabetes,
chromosomal aneuploidy, premature centromere division, chromosomal damage, aberrant
mitotic cellular division, thrombocytopenia, thymic hyperplasia, splenic hypoplasia,
testicular hypoplasia, and female subfertility. Also disclosed is an animal model
for diabetes. Also disclosed is a somatic or germ cell obtained from the null mutant
rodent. Also disclosed is a cell line derived from a cell obtained from the null
mutant rodent.
