BALB/c-nu Immunodeficient Mouse

The nude mutation on appeared in an outbred albino mouse stock at the Ruchill Hospital, Glasgow in 1962. This mutation on was transferred to the genetic background of the inbred BALB/cAnN mouse bybackcrossing.
This genetic background was selected by Mc Dowell in 1923 from a stock of outbred albino mice obtained by Bagg in 1913. They were transferred by Mc Dowell to Dr. Snell in 1932 at F32 generation.
This mutation on, identified by Dr. Grist, is an autosomal recessive mutation on of the Foxn1 (forkhead box N1) located on chromosome 11. It causes thymic aplasia (total or partial) which results in immunodeficiency.
This deficiency leads to an absence of T cells; B cells remaining functional.
This mutation on also results in a keratinisation on defect of the hair follicle and the epidermis. This results in mice with transient downy hair that, when it is gone, leads to an almost total absence of hair. There is no link between the presence of down and immunodeficiency severity.

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