USE OF TRANSGENIC AND GENE-TARGETED MICE TO MODEL THE GENETIC-BASIS OF HYPERTENSIVE DISORDERS

As both essential hypertension and hypertension associated with pregna ncy (pre-eclampsia) have been determined to have strong genetic compon ents, considerable recent research has focused on identifying genes th at may predispose to the development of these disorders, Recent advanc es in molecular genetics and the work of the Human Genome Project have facilitated the identification of genes that may be linked to these h ypertensive disorders. Although molecular genetic studies performed in humans and animals can be used to link genes or mutations in genes to hypertension (once identified), studies are needed to assess their bi ochemical and physiologic importance. In this review, we discuss the e ver-increasing importance and use of transgenic and gene-targeted mice in modeling the genetic basis of hypertensive disorders.