Free Access
Issue
Reprod. Nutr. Dev.
Volume 45, Number 3, May-June 2005
SYMPOSIUM: Homage to Professor Charles Thibault
Page(s) 363 - 376
DOI https://doi.org/10.1051/rnd:2005027
Reprod. Nutr. Dev. 45 (2005) 363-376
DOI: 10.1051/rnd:2005027

Relations between animal transgenesis and reproduction

Louis-Marie Houdebine

UMR Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, 78352 Jouy-en-Josas Cedex, France

Abstract - Transgenesis has become an essential tool for the study of gene expression mechanisms and functions. Transgenesis is also more and more used for biotechnological applications such as the study of human diseases, the adaptation of pig organs to humans, the production of pharmaceutical proteins in milk and likely in the future for the improvement of animal production. The use of transgenesis relies on the efficiency of gene transfer. New tools have been recently designed to improve gene transfer. The methods of gene transfer are highly dependent on the techniques of animal reproduction. Conversely, the need to improve transgenesis urges researchers to study some of the key steps in reproduction and to find new techniques for gene transfer. This paper summarises the recent data and the perspectives offered by animal transgenesis.


Key words: transgenesis / animal production / biotechnological applications

Corresponding author: Louis-Marie Houdebine houdebin@jouy.inra.fr

© INRA, EDP Sciences 2005