Of men in mice: Using murine expression of human MHC molecules to unravel autoimmunity

Abstract

Advanced genetic manipulation of small animals should allow the reconstitution of parts of the human immune system in vitro, to study disease mechanisms. Here, Rae Yeung and Tak Mak discuss the many difficulties that arise in expressing human MHC molecules due to the species barrier preventing components of one immune system from interacting with another, and the different approaches being used to overcome them.