A NOG mouse is a new generation of severely immunodeficient mouse, developed by Central Institute for Experimental Animals (CIEA) in 2000. The NOG mouse accepts heterologous cells much more easily compared with any other type of immunodeficient rodent models, such as, nude mouse

Nude mouse

A nude mouse is a laboratory mouse from a strain with a genetic mutation that causes a deteriorated or absent thymus, resulting in an inhibited immune system due to a greatly reduced number of T cells. The phenotype, or main outward appearance of the mouse is a lack of body hair, which gives it...

 and NOD/scid mouse. Thus, the mouse can be the best model as a highly efficient recipient of human cells to engraft, proliferate and differentiate. This unique feature offers a great opportunity for enhancing therapy researches of cancer

Cancer

Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...

, leukemia

Leukemia

Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...

, visceral diseases, AIDS

AIDS

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...

, and other human diseases. It also provides applications for cancer, infection

Infection

An infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...

, regeneration

Regeneration (biology)

In biology, regeneration is the process of renewal, restoration, and growth that makes genomes, cells, organs, organisms, and ecosystems resilient to natural fluctuations or events that cause disturbance or damage. Every species is capable of regeneration, from bacteria to humans. At its most...

, and hematology

Hematology

Hematology, also spelled haematology , is the branch of biology physiology, internal medicine, pathology, clinical laboratory work, and pediatrics that is concerned with the study of blood, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases...

 researches.

Origin

The NOG mouse was generated in CIEA in 2000 by back-cross mating of C57BL/6J-IL-2Rγ^null mouse that was originally developed by Kazuo Sugamura, a professor of Tohoku University, to NOD/Shi-scid mouse that was developed in CIEA.

Characteristics

• No activity of T cell
  T cell
  T cells or T lymphocytes belong to a group of white blood cells known as lymphocytes, and play a central role in cell-mediated immunity. They can be distinguished from other lymphocytes, such as B cells and natural killer cells , by the presence of a T cell receptor on the cell surface. They are...
  
  , B cell
  B cell
  B cells are lymphocytes that play a large role in the humoral immune response . The principal functions of B cells are to make antibodies against antigens, perform the role of antigen-presenting cells and eventually develop into memory B cells after activation by antigen interaction...
  
   and NK cell
• Reduced complementary activities
• Dysfunction of macrophage
  Macrophage
  Macrophages are cells produced by the differentiation of monocytes in tissues. Human macrophages are about in diameter. Monocytes and macrophages are phagocytes. Macrophages function in both non-specific defense as well as help initiate specific defense mechanisms of vertebrate animals...
  
  
• Dysfunction of dendritic cell
  Dendritic cell
  Dendritic cells are immune cells forming part of the mammalian immune system. Their main function is to process antigen material and present it on the surface to other cells of the immune system. That is, dendritic cells function as antigen-presenting cells...
  
  
• No leakiness: no incidence of T, B cells with aging
• No incidence of lymphoma
  Lymphoma
  Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
  
  

NOG mouse has multiple immunodeficiencies that are principally derived from three strains of mice: 1) NOD/Shi inbred strain, 2) SCID, 3) IL-2Rγ^null. These include:

• Reduced innate immunity derived from a NOD inbred strain, which involves a macrophage dysfunction, and a defect of complement hemolytic activity and reduced NK activity . The NOD/Shi inbred strain was first discovered by Makino et al. as autoimmune non-obese-type diabetes mice .
• Lack of functional T and B cells that is derived from a mutation of protein kinase (Prkdc: protein kinase, DNA activated, catalytic polypeptide), which is the causative gene of the scid mutation
• Lack of NK cells, dendritic cell dysfunctions, and other unknown deficiencies due to inactivation of the IL-2Rγ gene .

Applications to medical researches

• Cancer
  Cancer
  Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
  
  
• Infectious Diseases
• Regenerative Medicine
  Regenerative medicine
  Regenerative medicine is the "process of replacing or regenerating human cells, tissues or organs to restore orestablish normal function". This field holds the promise of regenerating damaged tissues and organs in the body by replacing damaged tissue and/or by stimulating the body's own repair...
  
  
• Hematology
  Hematology
  Hematology, also spelled haematology , is the branch of biology physiology, internal medicine, pathology, clinical laboratory work, and pediatrics that is concerned with the study of blood, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases...
  
  
• Humanized mouse
  Humanized mouse
  A “humanized mouse” is a mouse carrying functioning human genes, cells, tissues, and/or organs. Humanized mice are commonly used as small animal models in biological and medical research for human therapeutics. Immunodeficient mice are often used as recipients for human cells or tissues, because...