Transgenic mice expressing Alzheimer amyloid precursor proteins

Nearly a decade after the identification of the Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene several groups of investigators have created transgenic mice expressing APP that simulate some of the prominent behavioral and pat hological features of Alzheimer's disease (Quon et al., 1991; Games et al., 1995; Hsiao et al., 1995, 1996; Moechars er al., 1996; Sturchler-Pierrat c t al., 1997). These features, which are present to various degrees in diffe rent lines of mice, include age-related impairment in learning and memory, neuronal loss, gliosis, neuritic changes, amyloid deposition, and abnormal tau phosphorylation. No mouse model exhibiting every neuropathological feat ure of Alzheimer's disease exists. Whether an exact simulation of Alzheimer neuropathology is required to understand neural dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease is unclear. Various mouse models of Alzheimer's disease are summar ized in this article. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.