Transgenic animals capable of being induced to delete senescent cells

摘要

This document provides a transgenic mouse for studying the role of senescent cells in an age-related phenotype. A recombinant polypeptide is expressed in senescent cells under control of a p16INK4a promoter. The polypeptide can be triggered to directly induce cell death in senescent cells. As a result, progression of one or more age-related phenotypes is delayed in the mouse. An example is the INK-ATTAC mouse which also expresses a marker polypeptide in senescent cells.