User:Rockpocket/MGP/SPARC

Model organisms
Model organisms have been used in the study of SPARC function. A conditional knockout mouse line, called Sparctm1a(EUCOMM)Wtsi was generated as part of the International Knockout Mouse Consortium program — a high-throughput mutagenesis project to generate and distribute animal models of disease to interested scientists.

Male and female animals underwent a standardized phenotypic screen to determine the effects of deletion. Twenty six tests were carried out on mutant mice and six significant abnormalities were observed. Homozygous mutant animals had unusually white incisors, decreased bone mineral density, abnormal lens morphology, cataracts and a decreased length of long bones.