Mice without cholesterol

2004/02/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Genetika

Transgenic mice without cholesterol have grown in Israel. Thanks to them, they want to investigate the behavior of cholesterol in the body.

The modified gene is Dhcr24. In the absence of this gene encoding the enzyme needed to synthesize cholesterol, researchers have found that mice create a compound called desmosterol. Desmosterol is the precursor of cholesterol.

Transgenic mice without cholesterol at birth were smaller than normal and were also sterile. This has detected a direct relationship between cholesterol and the reproductive system.

In humans only two children without cholesterol have been seen. Because of a mutation they could not produce cholesterol and died.