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Baylor Institute for Immunology Research
3434 Live Oak St.
Dallas, Texas 75204

Tel: (214) 820-7451
Fax: (214) 820-4813
Humouse: An In Vivo Model of the Human Immune System
Investigators: A. Karolina Palucka and Jacques Banchereau

While mouse models have provided us with invaluable knowledge of biology as well as regulation of the immune system, the results from studies in mice cannot always be directly applied to humans because of biological differences between species. Hence, there is a need for novel pre-clinical models of a human immune system to test for example vaccine efficacy. With this mind, BIIR scientists have developed humanized mice thanks to a large contract from DARPA and continue their study through the BIIR NIAID center.

Our goal is to reconstitute immunodeficient mice with a human immune system (Humouse). In the initial stage of our program, we have constructed mice with human DCs and B cells. There, NOD/ SCID mice transplanted with human CD34+hematopoietic progenitor cells (CD34 + HPCs) develop functional antigen presenting cells (APCs) including dendritic cells, monocytes and B cells. Dendritic cells include both the myeloid and the plasmacytoid pathway.

They are found in virtually all the tissues but their frequency is particularly remarkable in lungs rendering the model particularly attractive for the analysis respiratory pathogens. More recently, we have further developed our model in two ways:
We have constructed a Humouse which, beside APCs, also develop human T cells by further engraftment of mesenchymal stem cells.
We have constructed a Humouse which harbors both a human immune system and a human cancer (The OncoHumouse) .