THERE’S a new mutant mouse on the block. Say hello to mini-mouse, a creature just two-thirds the normal size.
Researchers have already bred dwarf mice. But mini-mouse is different. It was created by altering a protein that regulates cell size, and its cells are smaller than normal. It is born perfectly in proportion, with all its organs similarly reduced in size, suggesting that the protein regulates cell growth throughout the animal. This discovery could help scientists develop larger livestock and find new ways of treating disease.
Jeff Settleman at Harvard Medical School and his team created their mini-mice by knocking…
