New Zealand mouse

New Zealand mouse

Either of two strains—New Zealand black (NZB) and white (NZW)—of inbred mice, used to study autoimmunity.
NZW mice are asymptomatic; NZB mice develop autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, extramedullary hematopoiesis, low titres of antinuclear antibodies, spontaneously activated B cells, defective T cells and defects in DNA repair. When NZW are crossed with NZB, the progeny develop an autoimmune syndrome with severe immune complex disease , glomerulonephritis, LE cells, and high titers of anti-nuclear antibodies; thus the F1 generation of NZB/NZW mice serves as an animal model for autoimmune disease and systemic lupus erythematosus.