Abstract: Genetically modified (GM) rabbits have been proved to be excellent animal models for biomedical research. GM rabbits expressing human genes have been widely used as models for cardiovascular disease, AIDS, and cancer research. So far, GM rabbits were almost generated by pronuclear microinjection, which randomly leads to additive genes integrated in the rabbit genome. Compared to this technology, gene targeting in ES cells is more powerful tool for deepening understanding of gene function. However, the rabbit lack stable ES cell lines. Thus, gene targeting, dependent on ES cells, is not possible used in rabbit. Instead, RNA interference is quickly becoming a valuable experimental tool that allows investigators to knock down the expression of specific genes, and makes it possible to create GM rabbit models. Recently, with the advent of novel genetic technologies, such as Zinc-finger nucleases, transcription-activator like effector nuclease, the RNA-guided CRISPR-Cas endonuclease, there have been a significant breakthroughs in gene targeting of rabbit. Researchers have successfully created some gene knock out rabbits using Zinc-finger nucleases, or transcription-activator like effector nuclease, or the RNA-guided CRISPR-Cas endonuclease. Based on our study in the area of GM rabbits, in this paper, we review the progress of GM technology in rabbits during the past years and emphasize their applications as a model in biomedicine.

Key words: Genetically modified (GM), Rabbit, Animal model, Biomedicine