Research Models

Commonly Used Mouse Models

Name Genes Mutations Modification Disease Neuropathology Behavior/Cognition Visualization Promoter/Regulatory Elements Genetic Background Strain Name Other Phenotypes Availability Primary Paper
Psen1, APP, MAPT APP K670_M671delinsNL (Swedish), MAPT P301L, PSEN1 M146V Psen1: Knock-In; APP: Transgenic; MAPT: Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease Age-related, progressive neuropathology including plaques and tangles. Extracellular Aβ deposits by 6 months in frontal cortex, more extensive by 12 months. No tau pathology at 6 months, but evident at 12 months. Synaptic dysfunction, including LTP deficits, prior to plaques and tangles. Cognitive impairment by 4 months. Impairments first manifest as a retention/retrieval deficit and not as a learning deficit, and occur prior to plaques and tangles. Deficits in both spatial and contextual based paradigms. Clearance of intraneuronal Aβ by immunotherapy rescues the early cognitive deficits in a hippocampal-dependent task. Yes C7BL/6;129X1/SvJ;129S1/Sv B6;129-Psen1tm1Mpm Tg(APPSwe,tauP301L)1Lfa/Mmjax The Jackson Lab; available through the JAX MMRRC Stock# 034830; Live Oddo et al., 2003
APP APP K670_M671delinsNL (Swedish) APP: Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease, Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy Aβ deposits first observed at 6 months. Congophilic plaques increase in size and number with age and are surrounded by activated microglia, astrocytes, and dystrophic neurites containing hyperphosphorylated tau (although no neurofibrillary tangles). Neuronal loss in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. Mice also develop CAA, and microhemorrages occur at later ages. Spatial memory defects in Morris Water maze at 3 months and progresses with age. Memory deficits in passive avoidance were observed in 25 month-old mice, but not at younger ages. Yes C57BL/6 B6.Cg-Tg(Thy1-APP)3Somm/J Hyperactivity observed between the ages of 6 weeks to 6 months. It is not known whether this persists or resolves in older animals. Abnormalities in open field test and impaired performance on rotorod observed from 3 months. Available through The Jackson Laboratory Stock# 030504, Live Sturchler-Pierrat et al., 1997
APP APP K670_M671delinsNL (Swedish), APP I716F (Iberian) APP: Knock-In Alzheimer's Disease Elevated Aβ peptides accumulating into plaques starting at 6 months. Microgliosis and astrocytosis, especially around plaques. Reduced synaptophysin and PSD-95 indicative of synaptic loss. No tangle pathology or neurodegeneration. Memory impairment by 18 months as measured by the Y maze. No significant impairment in the Morris water maze. Yes C57BL/6 Apptm2.1Tcs/Apptm2.1Tcs No overexpression of APP. Generates wild-type levels of AICD. Available through Takaomi Saido Saito et al., 2014
APP, PSEN1 APP K670_M671delinsNL (Swedish), PSEN1: deltaE9 APP: Transgenic; PSEN1: Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease Occasional Aβ deposits by 6 months with abundant plaques in the hippocampus and cortex by 9 months and a progressive increase in plaques up to 12 months. No tangles. Decrease in synaptic markers and increase in complement immunoreactivity. Cognitive impairment (e.g., deficits in spatial memory and contextual memory). Changes in spontaneous behavior (e.g., nest-building, burrowing). Yes C57BL/6;C3H B6C3-Tg(APPswe,PSEN1dE9)85Dbo/Mmjax Kinked tail phenotype that is believed to be due to genetic background. The Jackson Lab; available through the JAX MMRRC Stock# 034829 (formerly Jackson Lab Stock # 004462); Live Jankowsky et al., 2001, Jankowsky et al., 2004
APP APP V717F (Indiana) APP: Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease Amyloid plaques in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex. Gliosis. Dystrophic neurites. Decreased synaptic and dendritic density in the hippocampus. Deficits in a variety of memory paradigms from a young age. Deficits in the radial arm maze at 3 months (before plaques), object recognition, operant learning, spatial reference memory (starting at 3-4 months), cued fear conditioning at 11 months. Yes C57B6 x DBA2 Alterations in sleep/wake states, thermoregulation, and motor activity.   Unknown Games et al., 1995, Rockenstein et al., 1995
APP, PSEN1 APP K670_M671delinsNL (Swedish), PSEN1 M146L (A>C) APP: Transgenic; PSEN1: Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease Aβ accumulates in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus starting ~6 months and increasing with age. Other regions affected later. Deposition occurs in white matter,  cerebrovasculature, and grey matter in the form of diffuse and fibrillar plaques. Fibrillar deposits are associated with dystrophic neurites and GFAP-positive astrocytes at ~ 6 months with later microglial activation. Progressive impairment between 5–7 and 15–17 months in some tests of cognitive performance, but not others. No change in anxiety levels. Yes B6/D2/Swe/SJL mixed background Selective increase in brain Aβ42(43) in the double transgenics (41% increase at 6 weeks) compared to Tg2576 single transgenic, which had unchanged Aβ40 and Aβ42(43) at this age. Tg2576: Taconic (Stock #001349) and Charles River; PS1(M146L): University of South Florida Technology Transfer Office. The CRO PsychoGenics offers research services with Tg2576 and the double transgenic line. Holcomb et al., 1998