What are phenotypes?
Phenotypes are the way that a gene presents in the body. Phenotypes are the physical manifestation of genotypes and are able to be observed visually, like hair and eye color as well as other body composition characteristics. Mutations of certain genes can effect the phenotype of any given organism. It is important to note the differences between the normal phenotype and any mutated phenotpes that occur. These observations are useful when studying a specific gene and its effect on the body. Because it is unethical to perform experiments on humans, model organisms are used to study gene presentation in animals. Model organisms have thoroughly documented genomes, are easy to maintain in a lab setting, have a relatively high reproduction rate and have genes and phenotypes that are comparable to humans. The most common model organisms are mice, zebra fish and fruit flies.
The mouse is a commonly used model organism because it is evolutionarily similar to humans. Mice are also able to maintain in a laboratory environment and are readily available. Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI) depicts that the MSTN gene in mice have virtually the same exact function and mechanics of presentation as humans do. The MSTN gene is involved in the transcription and synthesis of myostatin in mice. Myostatin then goes on to control the maturation of skeletal muscle cells.
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Zebra fish are also a viable animal to use as a model organism. Their most attractive feature is when they are in the embryonic stage of life, they are clear, making phenotypes that are internally based easy to observe. They are also convenient to maintain in the lab and have a short reproduction times. Zebra fish also exhibit the same phenotype as humans. Myostatin controls skeletal muscle maturation, but it is unclear if it's synthesis is not solely controlled by the MSTN gene.
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Fruit flies are a third model organism that is used often to study human disease. They are exceptionally easy to maintain with a generational time on only a few days. They are also a very simple organism, making them easy to understand and to focus on one gene. However, for the study of MSTN, fruit flies do not exhibit enough similarity between the gene and it's subsequent phenotype so have them be of use to studies in relation to humans. They do have increased muscle mass, but it is not very easily observed.
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We can use these phenotypes in further studies of the MSTN gene. While the the fruit fly, a commonly used model organism, does not exhibit the exact same phenotype as humans, we are still able to utilize the mouse and zebra fish as well as other similar animals like the rat to study the MSTN gene in humans. By using the model organisms to observe the differences between organisms with a wild type MSTN gene and a mutated MSTN gene, we can better understand MSTN's effect the body.
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