Susceptible mice: Identifying a diabetic nephropathy disease locus using a murine model

Diabetic nephropathy is a common, complex disease with a clear genetic predisposition. Human gene association studies are beginning to bear fruit by identifying gene loci that increase diabetic nephropathy risk. Chua et al. report a similar study in diabetic mice that reveals a major nephropathy locus on chromosome 8. Could this be a human nephropathy gene? Time will tell, but such findings will at least improve the use of mouse models of human kidney disease.