HANDED ASYMMETRY IN THE MOUSE - UNDERSTANDING HOW THINGS GO RIGHT (ORLEFT) BY STUDYING HOW THEY GO WRONG

All vertebrates have characteristic asymmetries along the left/right a xis. The positioning of asymmetric visceral organs is highly conserved evolutionarily and disruptions in left/right patterning can lead to s evere morphological defects, demonstrating the importance of regulatio n of left/right developmental asymmetries. Our understanding of verteb rate left/right pattern formation has been advanced by studying severa l mouse mutations which disrupt this process. These mutant mice have s erved as tools to help us to unravel the genetic pathways of left/righ t development. The identification and analysis of genes with asymmetri c expression patterns has allowed us to begin to understand the mechan isms which regulate left/right development.