Tybulewicz VL, Crawford CE, Jackson PK, Bronson RT, Mulligan RC:
Neonatal lethality and lymphopenia in mice with a homozygous
disruption of the c-abl proto-oncogene.
Cell 1991 Jun 28;65(7):1153-63
ABSTRACT
The c-abl proto-oncogene, which encodes a cytoplasmic
protein-tyrosine kinase, is expressed throughout murine gestation
and ubiquitously in adult mouse tissues. However, its levels are
highest in thymus, spleen, and testes. To examine the in vivo role
of c-abl, the gene was disrupted in embryonic stem cells, and the
resulting genetically modified cells were used to establish a mouse
strain carrying the mutation. Most mice homozygous for the c-abl
mutation became runted and died 1 to 2 weeks after birth. In
addition, many showed thymic and splenic atrophy and a T and B cell
lymphopenia.
