Japan Scientists Develop Fearless Mouse

[Julian Delphiki]

Japan Scientists Develop Fearless Mouse

TOKYO (AP) — The age-old animosity between cats and mice could be a thing of the past with genetically modified mice that Japanese scientists say show no fear and shed new light on mammal behavior.

Scientists at Tokyo University say they have used genetic engineering to successfully switch off a mouse's instinct to cower at the smell or presence of cats — showing that fear is genetically hardwired and not learned through experience, as commonly believed.

"Mice are naturally terrified of cats, and usually panic or flee at the smell of one. But mice with certain nasal cells removed through genetic engineering didn't display any fear," said research team leader Ko Kobayakawa.

"The mice approached the cat, even snuggled up to it and played with it," Kobayakawa said. "The discovery that fear is genetically determined and not learned after birth is very interesting, and goes against what was previously thought."

The findings suggest that human aversion to dangerous smells like that of rotten food, for example, could also be genetically predetermined, he said.

Kobayakawa said his findings, published in the science magazine Nature last month, should help researchers shed further light on how the brain processes information about the outside world.

Interesting, but the real question is of course what happens when fearless gene modified mouse meets glowing-in-the-dark gene modified cat . Maybe its like matter and antimatter..

(Edit. Just noticed that this was mentioned already on the Cat thread as well. Mods can close this if its too spammy).

 

[Ecofarm]

Before this GMO stuff is figured out, we'll have manbearpig vs. manoxmoose (with or without antlers) on American Gladiator.

 

[Fetus4188]

Though I'm not usually pessimistic, the first thing I thought of was WWII Soviet style warfare.

 

[plarq]

Let this mouse face the bright-in-the-dark cat!

 

[Steph]

I find the article quite misleading.

It claims the genetically fear of cat smell has been removed from a mice, but modifiy some nasal cells.

It seems to me they did not remove the fear of the cat smell, but the cat smell itself.

There is a huge difference. They did not move the answer to an extern stimulus, they removed the stimulus.

 

[AL_DA_GREAT]

Now I know what I am buying my cat for christmas! This definetly backs nietzsche's ideas

 

[Newbunkle]

Why don't they try cloning whales?

 

[Godwynn]

Though I'm not usually pessimistic, the first thing I thought of was WWII Soviet style warfare.

Same here, fearless soldiers.

 

[obliterate]

I find the article quite misleading.

It claims the genetically fear of cat smell has been removed from a mice, but modifiy some nasal cells.

It seems to me they did not remove the fear of the cat smell, but the cat smell itself.

There is a huge difference. They did not move the answer to an extern stimulus, they removed the stimulus.

No. The stimulus is still there but there is no reception. They removed or modified the receptor cells.

 

[Steph]

No. The stimulus is still there but there is no reception. They removed or modifid the receptor cells.

It's the same. They did not removed the answer to the stimulus, they prevent the mouse to detect the stimulus.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

I for one, welcome our new fearless rodent overlords blah blah blah . . .

Seriously, though, I would say "the ability to avoid being eaten by cats" is more useful than "a lack of fear of cats". Not that they did this for practical purposes, of course.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

What Steph said.
It just supresses the stimulus.
When I read the title I thought they have reproduced the behavorial changes caused by toxoplasma infection which is much more interesting, and a creepy thing for a parasite to do.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasmosis#Behavioral_changes

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

That virus, it gives me the jibblies.

 

[El_Machinae]

I find the article quite misleading.

It claims the genetically fear of cat smell has been removed from a mice, but modifiy some nasal cells.

It seems to me they did not remove the fear of the cat smell, but the cat smell itself.

There is a huge difference. They did not move the answer to an extern stimulus, they removed the stimulus.

It's possible to actually remove fear, but I get what you mean.

Before this GMO stuff is figured out, we'll have manbearpig vs. manoxmoose (with or without antlers) on American Gladiator.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Same here, fearless soldiers.

I was thinking of the dogs with mines on their backs, but that works, too.

 

[Cu Chulainn]

I initially read that as fearless Moose which, you must admit, would be a lot more interesting.