Humanized mice for immune system investigation: progress, promise and challenges

Significant advances in our understanding of the in vivo functions of human cells, tissues and immune systems have resulted from the development of mouse strains that are based on severely immunodeficient mice expressing mutations in the interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor common γ-chain locus. These mouse strains support the engraftment of a functional human immune system and permit detailed analysis of human immune biology, development and functions. In this Review, we discuss recent advances in the development of humanized mice, the lessons learned, the remaining challenges and the promise of using humanized mice for the in vivo study of human immunology