Swiss Scientists Create ‘Mighty Mouse’
By removing a gene, these mice could run faster and longer.
Remember the mighty mouse in the series Mighty Mouse? In the television cartoon that aired every Sunday morning on a private television station a dozen years ago, a mouse muscular and can fly like Superman appears to be a super hero.
A collection of scientists in Switzerland. as quoted by the Daily Mail, now doing research to make the ‘Mighty Mouse’. But, scientists are not intended to create a mouse become a super hero, who then sing .. “Here I come to save the day!”.
However, the Swiss scientist is being ‘created’ mice that have a double muscle strength, to find ways to overcome a disease that often arise in the future of aging. Not only has the dual power, in a test on a treadmill, these mice are also able to run twice as far as the history of rats in general.
This super rats ‘created’ by pulling a gene. So without the gene, this rodent has the energy and greater strength. Scientists at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale in Lausenne small gene called it “NCoR1″. This small gene effect on muscle strength and ability.
If the same thing done to humans, scientists believe this could be a therapy against the vanity muscles ahead of aging, which sometimes lead to bone fractures or other illnesses related to muscles and joints.
These scientists then try to develop drugs that can produce similar effects. By making modifications to it to stop working rat “NCor1″, they continue to suppress an enzyme that normally stop the muscle expands,
Besides being able to run faster and longer, these mice also proved able to cope with the cold air. By pressing this NCoR1, scientists discovered muscles in the tissue is more dense and contains mitochondria (a kind of ‘battery’ that powers the cell) more.
Tests performed on the same successful worm. Because scientists believe that modifications can also be applied to humans. “This could be a way to fight the weakening of the muscles in aging,” said research team leader, Professor Johan Auwerx.
“We think that this could be used as a basis for development in dealing with muscle disease (muscular dystrophy) genetically. If it is confirmed good results in humans, none of these other questions will attract the attention of medical experts to the athletes,” said Auwerx .
But there are ethical issues that will arise. If the athlete is well done, then obviously this is an unsportsmanlike act. “It would be very important for anti-doping institutions in overseeing this,” Auwerx said.