Lens opacity: a new gene for congenital cataract on chromosome 10 of the mouse

Abstract

Mouse mutant genes which result in defects similar to those of medical importance in man may be of value as models for the study of the defect concerned. We report here a new gene causing congenital cataract in the mouse, which may be useful in the understanding of cataract in man.A further point of interest is that Kratochvilova & Ehling (1979) have recently developed a new method of measuring increased mutation rates in the mouse, by examining offspring of animals treated with mutagens for the presence of cataracts due to mutant genes. For the purposes of this test it is valuable to have information on the number and map position of loci which can mutate to give cataracts.